


All Star Productions

by LethanWolf



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternative Lifestyles, Anal Sex, Drunkenness, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Gay, Gay Sex, Happy Ending, Humor, Lemon, M/M, Oral Sex, Public Sex, Smut, Yaoi, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-10-26 21:45:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 50,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10795371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LethanWolf/pseuds/LethanWolf
Summary: A new college and a new Toshiro, after being abused by his ex and not being able to make any friends he comes to his new college with a disguise. What happens when that disguise starts to fall away and his insecurities and anxieties lead him into the arms of a very handsome strawberry blond.





	1. Fresh Meat

**Author's Note:**

> So this story will be being posted a chapter at a time, it's 8 chapters long and I hope you all love it. I took 1 week to write this whole thing back in October but as I am a new author to Archive of our Own I don't wanna post it all in one go. So if you want me to continue posting please show me some encouragement =D  
> I am excited to be here with you all!
> 
> Rated explicit for later chapters... trust me.

‘Have a smashing day at School dear.’ The elderly voice of his Gran called as Toshiro ducked out of the small house. He grumbled to himself as he got in the car. Today was the start of a new day. Today was the start of a new Toshiro and a new beginning and he wasn’t going to mess this up. Having to be transferred to a new college because of bullying he’d already gone through his own fair share of trouble, this time he was determined to simply fit in and slip under the radar. That would be quite difficult given his appearance and age. He was only 18 years old, that may have seemed old enough… but he was in his final year. His fourth year. That meant that he’d gone to College when he was 14 years old. He was a prodigy, that’s what they all said when he graduated High School early. A genius who would go far.

But being a genius didn’t make you friends, it made you enemies. Having white hair and teal eyes didn’t make you fit in it made you stand out and when you stood out you got bullied.

‘Not this time.’ Toshiro huffed as he drove a little bit away from his Grans house before pulling into a small lay by at the side of the road. He opened his bag up and pulled out the container for contacts. He adjusted his cars mirror so he could see his eyes and quickly and effortlessly placed the brown contacts in. He blinked a few times waiting for them to settle. The first time he’d gotten them he’d practiced how to put them in, being a prodigy and all it hadn’t taken him very long but the feeling was still strange and his eyes still wanted to blink the foreign objects out. Next he reached into the bag and pulled out a wig.  
That’s right, this was how far he was willing to go to fit in. He couldn’t dye his hair because his Gran wouldn’t let him, she always taught him to embrace his individuality and what made him different. How could he embrace and love these aspects of himself that brought him nothing but pain? That’s what he thought as he let his fingers run through the wig. He’d had it specially made so that his own spikes would essentially fill it and give it volume. He quickly pulled it on and set about adjusting it, the front spikes of the wig covered the hairline and he applied the necessary makeup just as the Nob Thatcher had instructed. The mirror was tiny to work with and it made it difficult but the collar of his polo shirt and white scarf would hide any sloppiness at the back and he was thankful for that. He really didn’t have the time to spend making sure it was all blended in at the back so he’d have to trust himself not to get too close to people.  
That could be arranged. He had no intentions at all of making friends, simply to just make it through this year, hand in his work, do his exams and pass. The good thing was that because he was in his final year the classes he had were few and far between, instead his main focus would be a dissertation and a handful of classes that were compulsory. He now glanced at the mirror, brown hair and brown eyes flashed back. Boring and plain and perfect.

He kicked his car back to life and continued the road towards the College, the new one he would be attending was actually in a small town. His last College had been in a massive city where he’d gone to stay in the dorms. He flinched as he remembered with distain the times he’d woken up the subject to several pranks, had his clothes stolen when using the showers of the boys changing rooms. This College had a lot less students and was surrounded by beautiful grounds. Trees stood in elegant straight lines on either side of the roads leading up to the building, it was about half the size of his previous College Toshiro noted as he pulled into a parking space. He stepped out the old white ford and closed it with a kick of his foot behind him, shuffling his books in his arms as he moved through the rows of other cars. The white building loomed and the chatter of students around him caused an involuntary reaction in his heart rate. He disliked crowds. He cringed away from the other students as he made his way inside the building, no one looking twice at him. It was a nice feeling, no longer was his white hair or teal eyes the source of turning gazes.

The truth was the bullying wasn’t the only reason he’d been transferred. After obtaining Choh Dahn in the Korean martial art Kuk Sool Won he’d stopped attending lessons and classes but still practiced the martial art and that day… the day he’d snapped. He’d practiced it on a lot of extra people than he’d really intended to do. He’d broken a lot of bones that day and received a lot of bruises and scars in retaliation. Having become distracted by living in the past Toshiro stopped and blinked around him, there wasn’t a single person at reception and he wasn’t about to ask someone where he needed to go so he just pulled his bag further up his shoulder sheepishly and decided to try and locate the room himself. With paper in hand he made his way through the corridors, they were narrow and nowhere seemed to be going in a straight line. After ten minutes he began cursing himself. This was getting no where.

‘I wish I’d been given a bloody map.’ He growled under his breath glancing at his watch. He was going to be late. Almost everyone was now at class and as he made his way back to reception there was no one around.

‘LOOK OUT!’ Smash. Cursing and clutching his head, he’d collided with something really soft but it was sent him flying back into the reception desk at the same time as pushing him down. The result was a throbbing pain on the back of his head which he was now trying the kneed softly with the palm of his hand.

‘I’m so sorry!’ Called a worried voice and Toshiro glared up towards possibly the most stunning girl he’d ever seen. She was tall with busty breasts pushing out of a tight leather jacket, her long strawberry hair flowing down over her shoulders. If he’d been straight he’d have totally succumbed to her beauty and been a rambling mess on the ground as it stood, he wasn’t. He sighed and took the hand that she’d extended to him and pulled him to his feet effortlessly.

‘That’s alright.’ He tried to keep the ice from his voice as he answered, meeting her baby blue eyes with his own he averted his gaze, worried she’d see through the wall of brown colour somehow.

‘Hey I’ve never seen you before are you a first year?’ She asked looking him up and down, ‘you must be you’re very young. My name is Rangiku Matsumoto, I’m a fourth year student studying Biomedical Sciences.’

Toshiro eyed her, it was weird, she didn’t strike him as the studying kind of person yet looks could be deceiving and he was hardly one to judge someone about how they looked.

‘Ah er, I’m a fourth year, studying Meteorology and Climate Science. My name’s Hitsugaya.’ He offered cowering his head back into the scarf, he didn’t want to get too close to anyone in case they saw through his disguise.

‘Fourth year! I should know you but I’ve never seen you before?’

‘I’m new, just transferred here to be closer to my family.’ Lies. What did it matter though? He was never going to see this girl again after this encounter.

‘Aren’t you late for class?’ She asked looking around at the empty hallway.

‘I got lost.’ He frowned at having to admit it and cringed as she stepped closer and grabbed his arm.

‘I’ll show you the way, I need an excuse for being late anyway, what class is it you’re doing?’ She pulled the paper that he had clutched in his cold hand and held it up to her face. God she was pushy. ‘Ahhhh Dr Ukitaki’s Chemistry class? I’ve got that just now too, we can be class buddies.’ Great.  
She wrapped an enthusiastic arm around him and pulled him along with her and he was panicking. No, no this wasn’t meant to be happening.

‘Listen I’m really flattered for the help but I like to just keep to myself really, I’m not here to make friends.’ She just laughed at him and shook her head.

‘Oh you and Yukio will get along well.’ She said as she continued to pull him towards a stair case and they began a climb to the top. ‘So introverted, why are all the cuties like that? Except Ichi I suppose.’ She sighed and Toshiro was sure she was speaking to herself more than him. He kind of wondered if he slipped off if she’d even notice.

‘You don’t talk much, that’s okay I do enough talking for me and Yukio so I’ll do enough of it for you too. I should probably give you a bit of an introduction here, if you don’t want to get noticed then keep your grades just above average but don’t try to beat out the competition.’ She laughed, ‘we already have the two top nerds in the year and they’re Uryu and Ichigo. Okay then there’s the guy no one wants to mess with Chad, he’s a nice enough lovely giant. There aren’t many of us left now when you get to our year most people have dropped out or failed so you’ll get to know everyone pretty soon.’ She was still talking. How could someone talk so much? ‘Rukia and Orihimi are sweethearts if you need anything they’ll help you out though people say that Renji gets well jel of anyone who even attempts to go near Rukia so no trying to get in with her.’ She’d stopped to wave a finger at him and Toshiro felt colour flare into his face.

‘I have no immediate plans to try getting in with anyone.’ He scowled, this was the last kind of conversation he wanted to be having.

‘You seem so shy,’ she chuckled as the kept walking up the stairs, she probably said it since he kept nervously tugging at his scarf. He’d have to stop or he’d attract more attention. With a sigh he let the white fabric go and concentrated on following the rather annoying woman.

‘You better be careful Fresh Meat is something we’ve not had in a long time.’

‘Fresh Meat?’

‘Yes you’re new, so it’s usually a game. Who is the first one to bang the new kid.’ Toshiro felt the colour flare back into his cheeks and groaned, why did these College kids have to have such disgusting games?

‘Don’t worry that’s not why I’m talking to you,’ she laughed and he scowled at her. ‘Besides… I get the sense I’m not your type am I?’ She turned those baby blue eyes on him and he jumped back a bit almost falling down the stairs.

‘What?’ He spoke so quietly that had they not been in a place where the reverb was so good she probably wouldn’t have heard him at all.

‘You heard me.’ She said, a knowing smirk spreading across her face.

‘How can you tell?’

‘I’m just _that_ good.’ She turned and continued up the stairs, ‘though that makes things worse, the men are way more competitive at this Fresh Meat thing than even the women are so be careful. Stay away from the Drama Club whatever you do, they’re the worst for that game. They’re planning a play just now called _All Star Productions_ , it’s to stand up for those horrific events that happened in Florida recently.’ Toshiro looked at his feet as they made their way out the stair case and into a hallway. He’d heard of this of course, it was all over the news.

‘Why would I join a Drama Club?’ He frowned at the thought and he could feel her grinning at him, he turned to look at her and saw her biting her lip. He was so god damn confused, what did that mean? Stupid women, you needed a different degree just to understand them.

‘Ichigo Kurosaki, that’s why.’ She giggled and he frowned more.

‘Gazuntai?’

‘No he’s… well you’ll see.’ She shoved him through a door at the back and into a slopping room with a few desks and chairs at the front of the class stood their professor who looked up with a knowing smile on his face as waved at Matsumoto.

‘Hello Rangiku how nice of you to join us, this is rather early aren’t you usually another ten minutes late?’ He asked and Toshiro couldn’t help but smile. This professor was… well… cool. He was older but he had long white hair… hair that looked just like his real hair, it was pure white. He got away with it though given his age and maturity, he carried a relaxed air about him and everyone in the class seemed to be infected by it, some people even sitting with their feel up on other chairs under the desks.

‘Well that’s because I didn’t go and get a coffee today sir, instead I brought a new student with me.’ She was waving and gesturing to Toshiro who snuggled his head down further into his scarf and used it to cover his mouth as well.

‘Well hello there, Hitsugaya is it? Yes I’ve been expecting you, please take a seat you two.’

Toshiro was about to head for a nice desk in the corner by himself before he felt a vice grip tugging his arm away from the heavenly place. He could feel a pout forming on his lips, he wasn’t getting away from her anytime soon. Matsumoto led him to another long desk and sat him between herself and another young looking male. Sneaking a glance at him Toshiro couldn’t help but think the male was rather adorable looking. With a long black coat on and black newsboy cap, he had long spiky blond hair that covered his left eye entirely but the one large green eye that could be seen was transfixed on a computer consol concealed behind a chemistry book. The class was chatting merrily as Professor Ukitaki turned his back to write some things up on the ancient looking chalk board.

‘Yukio, this is Hitsugaya.’ Matsumoto said causing the young boy to turn towards them both. Toshiro bit his tongue, he preferred to call people by their last names but it was one of many things that had earned him several painful encounters before. So he resisted the urge to ask the boy his last name and instead offered him a shy smile.

Yukio looked bored and nodded at him with a raised brow.

‘Did you tell him about the Fresh Meat game?’

‘Yup, he’s been warned.’

‘And his preference?’

‘Same as yours.’

Yukio kept an eye on Toshiro and Toshiro sunk down in his seat, wanting to vanish from everyone’s sights right now.

‘Beware of Uryu, Renji, Shuhei and Ichigo, they’re the worst for the games, even though most of them are straight they’ll still play you.’ Without another word he turned back towards his computer game and continued playing with the same bored expression.

‘Who are they?’ Toshiro asked turning to Matsumoto for help, he’d need to avoid these people at all costs.

‘Well, that’s Uryu.’ She pointed towards a gentleman with longer dark hair and rectangular spectacles perched on his nose which he pushed up with a slender finger.

She turned and pointed towards a heavily tattooed man with sharp features and long pointed blood red hair. ‘That’s Renji, the guy beside him is Shuhei.’ The gentleman was tall and very attractive with spiky dark hair that framed his face and a tattoo on his cheek of the number ‘69’. Toshiro flushed he didn’t want to know what that was doing there.

‘Ichigo isn’t here yet-‘

The door to the class opened drawing the attention of most in the room behind them and in walked one of the most beautiful creatures Toshiro had ever had the fortune of laying eyes on. His features were perfect, exquisite on his face like they belonged in a Vogue fashion shoot. High cheek bones came down to a slender chin, cheeks just the perfect plumpness and full lips that carried a perfect yet subconscious pout. Dark eyebrows adorned atop the symmetrical features and furrowed into adorable little lines in the centre of his face as his beautiful hazel eyes swept the room. His black t-shirt clung tightly across his broad shoulders, stretching across biceps and fanning lazily down his torso to a pair of rather snug skinny blue jeans. He walked down a few steps and greeted Professor Ukitaki openly, addressing him as if he were his favourite uncle and gave Toshiro a perfect view of his well sculpted ass as he took a seat two rows in front of them. Suddenly his view of the back of the erotically exposed neck was being blocked as a hand that waved openly in front of his face.

‘You’re staring.’ She chuckled and he glared at her and snuggled back down into his scarf more. ‘I told you he was stunning.’

‘ _That’s_ Kurosaki? You didn’t exactly say he was stunning…’

‘No but here it is; he’s stunning. He’s also got the top grades in the class and he’s in charge of the Drama Club too, he was the one who wrote the script I told you about.’

‘Right.’ Toshiro could feel his neck and face heat up but he wouldn’t remove the scarf. ‘He’s not that attractive.’ Toshiro tried to make it sound convincing but he didn’t even fool himself. He heard Matsumoto scoff beside him and scowled at her.

‘That’s like saying an orange is an apple,’ she jabbed him in his side with a long perfectly manicured finger and Toshiro almost jolted back into Yukio who turned a sympathetic eye towards him. ‘But be warned Histugaya, you’re his type and he’s a player.’

‘I’m not anyone’s type.’ Toshiro muttered, his face not even holding a trace of any emotion as he stated this simple fact. Matsumoto opened her mouth and looked like she was about to say something when Professor Ukitaki finally called the class to order. Apparently he was now finished writing whatever it was that he needed too up on the chalkboard. Looking at the script that flowed on the board Toshiro knew he could zone in and out as needed, this stuff was second nature to him and really he could pass the year without needing to learn any of it from a Professor. He could read a book and retain the information for years, he was just _that_ good. Alas these classes always had registers and as it floated by his desk he hastily scribbled his name down. Matsumoto grabbed the paper and quirked a brow at him, whispering under her breath.

‘I knew your real name wasn’t Hitsugaya, Toshiro!’ She smirked and he scowled in defeat, she brandished the paper in front of Yukio to sign his name down, he took it lazily not even paying attention to her. ‘Look at his hand writing Yukio, it’s like something out of photoshop.’ She teased and Toshiro felt his heart plummet. He’d already made a vital mistake he didn’t plan on revealing anything about himself and yet here this annoying woman had already found out his first name and he’d been foolish enough to use his usual calligraphy. The register was passed to the person who rows down by a girl with long strawberry blond hair and large breasts… similar to Matsumoto but with a more caring face reached up to grab it from Yukio. The girl signed her name which was difficult to read from this far back and passed it down towards a tall Mexican looking man with long brown hair. It was signed again and then passed to Kurosaki. Toshiro let his eyes wander back up to Professor Ukitaki who was talking in full swing, but to be honest Toshiro was completely tuned out. Instead he pulled out one of his Chemistry books and kept it close to his face, he didn’t want Matsumoto to see his eloquent scrawls and boy genius notes written all over the inside of the book. Nor the fact that he was actually nearly finished the book that this class had proposed they get for studying. Sometimes he knew he was a massive geek.

When he peaked over the top of his book something caught his eye. Two large hazel eyes were staring at him and Toshiro met the gaze of Kurosaki before quickly looking away. In those eyes he’d seen a somewhat bemused expression for only an instant before he’d looked away. _‘Don’t look back. Don’t look back.’_ He repeated over and over in his head. Wait, did he even want to look back? True the man was attractive but he wasn’t here for petty distractions, he was here to do his work and NOT make friends.

 

In this College there was no bell to signal the end of classes instead the Professor dismissed them cheerfully and Toshiro collected his things ready to head out the door. He had a free two hours before lunch and he was planning on doing as much studying as he could in that time in the massive library of the College.

‘Where are you going now Toshiro?’ Matsumoto asked and he felt himself scowl at her using his first name.

‘I’m going to the library to do some work.’ This seemed to have upset her because she pouted at him and batted her massive baby blue eyes causing him to frown. Was she trying to convey some kind of girlish emotion he didn’t understand? Or perhaps his ‘I-don’t-give-a-shit’ funny bone was playing up.

‘This is the first day we don’t have work yet, besides you need a good tour of the place, do you even know where the library is?’ She asked smugly already knowing the answer as he scowled at her. Yukio was watching their exchange from his raised position with mild interest, having stood up ready to leave the room already.

‘I didn’t think so,’ she looked so smug as she stood up, pulling him by the arm and he quickly broke free of her grasp a little more harshly than he intended to.

‘Sorry,’ he mumbled but she ignored him and placed a tender hand on his lower back steering him out of the room. He squirmed free of the hand but walked obediently with her. She giggled and waved off his apology and at the same time reached up to yank at the scarf on his neck.

‘You’ve got to be sweating are you hiding something?’ She asked and he swatted her hand away in panic.

No.’ He said far too quickly and she grinned broadly at him.

‘If you’ve got love bites let me see them, I could cover them in makeup for you?’

‘I don’t have-‘

‘Oh _please_ why else would someone want to wear a scarf at this time of the year?’

‘Yukio is wearing a newsboy cap at this time of year!’

‘Yukio always wears that cap and he suits it. With your eyes and hair colour white doesn’t really suit you.’ He snorted at her statement and turned to Yukio with – what he hoped was an – indianite look upon his face.

‘Is she always this pushy?’

‘Pretty much.’ The boy offered his hands gliding effortlessly across the small consol in his hands. Toshiro frowned, that much video game playing surely wasn’t a good thing, he could seriously be ill with a major addition like the way some people were addicted to food or the gym or sex. It didn’t seem healthy, Toshiro wasn’t even sure how the boy had made it into his fourth year if he spent all his time constantly playing.

‘If I wasn’t pushy Yukio wouldn’t have a single friend,’ Matsumoto huffed and Toshiro scoffed.

‘So you go around thrusting your friendship at people who don’t want it?’ He hadn’t meant for it to come across as harsh as it had and he almost felt bad until a broad grin spread across her beautiful face.

‘Pretty much yeah, I’m friends with everyone.’ She shrugged her shoulder and he narrowed his eyes. He’d been about to ask if that included the delicious strawberry male but bit his tongue. If Matsumoto ever learned that he found the tall strawberry even the slightest bit attractive he was sure he’d never hear the end of it.

‘Did you get assigned a locker?’ She asked as they stopped in the middle of a slightly larger hallway for her to open a locker and stuff her books inside.

‘Oh yeah,’ Toshiro pulled out an envelop from his bag, he’d been sent the key in the post and he groped for it before turning it out onto his palm. Without getting the chance to pick it up himself Matsumoto had already swiped it and examined the number attached by a lazy plastic tag.

‘Oh good you’re just down the hall. I was worried they’d put you miles away from mine.’ He scoffed at his own bad lucky and followed her as she made her way down the wall, pointing finally at a locker that matched the number on his key.

‘Thanks, I could have found it myself though, being a fourth year I can count.’ He knew his words were cold but he was just trying to push her away. God he wished she’d just go away. She seemed not to have cared and laughed at him, bringing a hand up to squish his spikes playfully and he twisted away from her quickly. That was close, if she’d done that too long she may have felt the unusual texture that would signify a wig. She seemed not to have noticed though and returned to his earlier comment.

‘That reminds me, what age are you?’ She smiled at him and he frowned at her.

‘I’m 22,’ he said far too quickly that she only smirked at him.

‘You’re so short, I didn’t think I’d meet someone shorter than Yukio.’ At this comment Yukio raised his head to glance sympathetically again at Toshiro. This woman was just so damn infuriating.

‘I’m not short,’ Toshiro scowled trying to heave his bag into the top shelf of his locker and scowling at the fact he had to jump to reach it. She pursed her lips and he could feel her amusement as these actions merely confirmed her statement. All his jumping dislodged stuff from the bag that spilled onto the floor and he hastily bent down to pick it up.

‘22 huh?’ Toshiro whipped around to see Matsumoto holding his student ID card which had his date of birth printed on it. He felt the colour drain from his face as Yukio glanced curiously over her shoulder, raising a blond eyebrow at Toshiro.

‘You’re 18.’ He merely said it as a statement and bent to help Toshiro pick up his things, he didn’t seem to want to ask any questions and Toshiros fondness of the boy grew. Matsumoto however…

‘Gods Toshiro what age were you when you graduated High School?’ She handed him back his pass and he scowled at her, choosing to ignore the question completely. It was rhetorical anyway if one knew how to do maths.

‘There he is.’ A new voice reached Toshiros ears and he quickly straightened up shoving all the things he didn’t need into his locker and closing it with a snap, ignoring the new voice behind him.

‘Toshiro.’

‘Hitsugaya.’ Toshiro automatically corrected and scowled at himself, he’d never get over that. He turned around and stood staring up at two of his other classmates. The one who had been speaking stepped forward a little, a broad grin on his face. It was the one Matsumoto had pointed out called Shuhei, behind the older boy was the heavily tattooed man with large spiky pointed hair; Renji.

‘You prefer people to call you by your last name?’ Shuhei questioned before ignoring it, ‘anyway Toshiro you’re new here and we like to make the new guys feel welcomed.’ His dark eyes glanced back at Renji behind him and they shared a knowing look. Toshiro pressed himself back into the lockers and as far away from the two and their ‘knowing looks’ as much as he could. His head burrowing further into his white scarf and he felt Matsumoto and Yukios eyes on him as he fidgeted uncomfortably.

‘Yeah we do,’ Renji chuckled looking down at Toshiro.

‘The whole fourth year is having a start – of – the – year – pub crawl next Friday. We’d like to extend the invite to you, Yukio and Matsumoto here will be going.’ Shuhei grinned nodding to the two on Toshiros sides. ‘So we’ll see you there.’ He leaned down and Toshiros head snapped back pressing right into the lockers as a confused look crossed his eyes.

‘He’s really jumpy isn’t he?’ Renji sneered from behind Shuhei as he moved forward for a better look at him. Toshiro could feel their eyes on his face and felt so completely uncomfortable, closing his eyes and wishing they were gone.

‘Piss off you two you’ve annoyed him enough.’ The voice was so commanding and unexpected that Toshiro turned sheepishly to see Matsumoto glaring at the two of them, waving them off with a hand. They chuckled at her but did as they were told, scampering off down the corridor deep in conversation.

‘T-Thank you.’ Toshiro breathed, he hadn’t realised he’d been holding his breath the entire time.

‘No need to thank me, you’re a human not a piece of meat for them to mess with.’ She frowned and stared at him protectively. He brought his hands up to clutch at the scarf once more. He felt a rush of gratitude for the obnoxious girl as he exhaled in a rush.

‘Maybe we should go to the Library before any other Meat Eaters come by looking for Toshiro.’ Yukio offered lazily as he twisted his small finger in his ear, his consol having been put in his bag for the time being.

‘You’re right let’s go.’

Matsumoto grabbed his hand and led him away down the corridor.

 

‘But you have to go.’ She hissed at him, ‘everyone else is going to be there.’ They were in the Library now and Toshiro had hoped that he would find some corner of peace here where he could work away on his own and that Matsumoto would eventually grow bored and leave him. Yukio had a book propped open in front of him but the lazy boy’s eye was glazed over and it was clear he wasn’t reading because it wasn’t moving across the page.

‘That’s exactly why I don’t want to go,’ Toshiro scowled at her and waved a hand. Why couldn’t she understand he just wanted to be left alone? Why was that so difficult to comprehend? ‘I don’t want anything to do with their Fresh Meat game and I don’t want anything to do with any of them.’

‘Awww Toshrio you said them not us,’ she smiled at him and he scowled.

‘Only because I know including you two doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll get rid of you, I know how persistent you are.’ He frowned at her and watched her grin at his words. They were speaking in hushed tones but even if they weren’t there was no one else here this early and they were on the next floor up away from the reception and the scowling librarians.

‘That’s true,’ she sat back in her seat and spread her arms open to the empty space in front of her. ‘Hear me out, if you don’t go you’re always going to be the mysterious new boy and mysterious is sexy since Sherlock brought it back.’ Her eyes glazed over, ‘brainy is definitely the new sexy, but if you do go you can maybe put them off you. Try and stop them playing this stupid game of theirs.’

‘How do you suppose I do that?’

‘Tell them you have a girlfriend?’ Yukio chimed in, his eye now completely shut though the boy was clearly still paying attention to their puerile conversation.

‘No, they’d see that as more of a challenge. Seriously you could get a restraining order and they’d see it as you playing hard to get.’ Matsumoto was thoughtful sitting back on her chair she didn’t notice the scowl that crossed Toshiros brow at the thought of men this persistent at getting into his pants.

‘We need another way of putting them off you.’ They were all thoughtful for a long time. Toshiro knew what would put them off of course, the same thing that put everyone off him in his last College. His white hair, teal eyes and prodigy based arrogant attitude. He shuddered and shrunk further into his white scarf and muttered to himself. That had certainly drawn the attention of his two new acquaintances.

‘What?’ Matsumoto pressed and he realised he had to come up with something fast.

‘I could always tell them I had an insane boyfriend, someone they may think might try to kick the shit out of them if they ever found out one of them tried it on with me?’

Matsumoto was thoughtful and shared a glance with Yukio who had opened his eyes to glance lazily at them, he shrugged and mumbled.

‘Might work.’

‘You’d need it to be convincing though, do you have a picture of you with someone?’ Toshiro scowled and sunk down in his seat.

‘Why do I get the feeling this story is almost a little true.’ Toshiros eyes snapped back to Matsumoto who was watching him thoughtfully and he quickly turned away to glare at the table. There was one picture… one person who came to mind that may be able to help Toshiro out of this situation. It wasn’t like he was going to need to speak to him to pull this off and yet it still felt so… so wrong. His two comrades left him to his thoughts as they could clearly see an internal struggle was pursuing within Toshiro at the thought of what he was going to do. With a defeated sigh he pulled his phone out of his pocket and found an adequate picture, one from two years ago when he was happy and pushed it over to Matsumoto.

It was the day of his and Gin Ichimaru’s one year anniversary, Gins outwardly appearance was enough to coil anyone’s stomach, certainly he looked like a character capable of brutally attacking people and mentally twisting and abusing people, it wasn’t far from the truth at all. Gin had his arms wrapped protectively and rather possessively around Toshiro. The good thing was the picture, had been taken at a Halloween themed celebration so Toshiros blinding white hair was hidden from view under mats and mats of fake blood and gore. There wasn’t a single speck of white remaining and the light cast shadows so you could barely see his eye colour. Anyone who looked close enough would have just assumed it was a camera trick from the way the lights caught his eyes in the picture. The fake blood across Gin just made him look even more mental and Toshiro had teased him about the picture several times after it was taken, stating the older boy looked like a serial killer.

‘That would do it.’ Matsumoto breathed eyeing the picture and turning it over to Yukio.

‘I will go for one pub, I will not be drinking and then I will leave. I will be there long enough to get everyone’s names and that’s it.’ He said finally and by the tone of his voice Matsumoto pursed her lips and sighed in defeat.

‘You’re a puzzle Toshiro, a rather delicate puzzle that I hope to become friends with one day.’ She breathed and turned to pick a random book off a nearby shelf and started to read it. Toshiro was confused, he stared at his hands. Why? Why did she want to be friends with him? He was a freak, a cold, heartless, always an asshole freak. She could be friends with anyone from their class and yet she chose to sit here studying with Yukio and himself probably two of the most unsociable creatures in the entire year. He found himself gazing at her from the corner of his eyes as she pretended to read a book – secretly she was hiding her mobile behind it – she was a puzzle too and somewhere deep down, very deep down Toshiro felt himself rather curious of the girls unusual nature.

 

* * *

 

 

For over a week Toshiro had been keeping up the façade and he’d been doing a beautiful job. Every morning he left his Grans and pulled into the shielded lay by at the side of the road between her house and the college. He’d put on the wig and put in the contact lenses, giving them time to settle down so his eyes became less blurry before heading off to College. He’d been able to attend all his classes so far but nothing really worthy had actually happened. Matsumoto continued to find him alone and when she did he was quickly joined by her and Yukio for the rest of the day until he slipped off to a class they didn’t share. As much as he enjoyed the time alone he actually found himself enjoying their company as well, though he’d never fully admit it. Her useless babbling was enough to pass the time and odd and rare exchanges that occurred between Matsumoto and Yukio were often entertaining. He’d bluntly state some form of truth which Toshiro usually found he agreed with and the girl would argue pointlessly back. Even though Toshiro knew that Yukio was in the right the boy would give up and resort to playing video games but they all knew that didn’t make Matsumoto a winner of their pointless little debates.

Today’s debate seemed to revolve more around Toshiro then anyone else.

‘It’s still a woman’s scarf.’ The deadpan and bored voice of Yukio spoke as he fixed Matsumoto with a hard green eye.

‘Yeah but it would look better than the muggy black and white ones he keeps wearing.’ She was pouting and holding up a delicate turquoise scarf.

‘Regardless. It’s still a woman’s’ scarf.’ He repeated and Toshiro had to agree with the boy, the scarf was pretty but the last thing he needed to be doing was drawing attention to himself by wearing colours like that. Colours that matched his eyes… though no one else but him would know it.

‘Gosh you’re no fun Yukio, what happened to the boy who let me do his makeup?’

‘I believe I was asleep and you attacked me with it. Hardly the same thing.’

‘You looked adorable.’

‘Are you saying I don’t without makeup?’ There was an unusual accusatory incline to his voice as he said this and Matsumoto pouted at him, clearly once again he’d won. Toshiro enjoyed these moments, he found them entertaining.

‘Anyway we better get to class, we’ll see you in the Library later Toshiro.’ She said it as a warning, since many times Toshiro had tried to ditch them by running off and being elsewhere other than their actual meeting place but Matsumoto had always found him. It’s like he was now a dot upon her radar and no matter where he went she’d locate him. Having a free period himself just now he made his way towards the very library where he was to meet the two after their class. It was unusual… people were calling them friends but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had friends. Proper friends anyway not the kind that stabbed you in the back. Though it had just been over a week the two had grown on him. They were polar opposites of each other and while Toshiro saw a lot of himself in Yukio there was some aspects of Matsumoto that he recognised. Loyalty for one, he was always a loyal person especially to the people he cared about like Granny. There was once a time that included Ichimaru but those times were long since passed.

He was about to round a corner when he heard two familiar voices.

‘… I thought you had, it seemed obvious anyway.’

Quickly Toshiro dove into the boys bathroom then panicked. That first voice had belonged to Renji and though he couldn’t make out the person who spoke before him he was very sure it was Kurosaki. Toshiro quickly jumped into one of the cubicles and locked the door, putting down the lid and sitting on it with his feet up as the door to the bathroom clanged open.

‘It’s not obvious, I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

‘Come on! Sam? Are you serious Ichigo, I read the script and you’re going to stand here and lie to my face and tell me that Sam isn’t in anyway based off of Yukio?’

Hearing his friends’ name being mentioned Toshiro strained to listen harder which was stupid given the reverb from their voices in the tiled space.

‘Excuse me, you seem to be implying that I have a thing for Yukio.’ Ichigos voice sounded very cold but a bit amused.

‘No, no I just know he’s your type, ya know small, cute, chibi-ish, quiet.’

‘I like them quiet, makes it much more fun when I make them scream my name.’

‘I know you do, I’ve heard the stories Ichigo,’ Renji laughed. ‘Does that mean you’re going to go after Toshiro?’

‘Who?’

‘The Fresh Meat.’

‘Nah, I won the last round, think it’s time someone else got a chance. If I play there wont be any competition.’

Toshiro had to hold back a scoff; this man certainly was full of himself. Despite the fact his voice alone was sending butterflies fluttering in his stomach, he wasn’t some kind of ‘all star’.

‘You big headed prat,’ Renji chuckled but there was no malicious intent or venom behind those words. ‘Just because you won with Yukio last year doesn’t mean you’d win again this year.’

Toshiro stuffed a fist in his mouth to keep from audibly making a noise. _Yukio?!_ Yukio had been the Fresh Meat game last year? And Ichigo had won?

‘Yukio was more my type anyway,’ Ichigo replied a smirk clearly on his lips with his tone of voice.

‘And Toshiro isn’t? He’s small, cute and quiet.’

‘Small and quiet yes, cute? You think so? He seems a bit… I don’t know,’ Toshiro heard the movement of fabric that would suggest the boy had shrugged his shoulders, ‘plain to me?’

‘Yeah but when you see him up close like me and Shuhei have there’s something about him, can’t quite put my finger on it.’ There was a thoughtful silence and then Ichigo chuckled.

‘I thought you were still after Rukias brother, don’t tell me you’ve changed targets?’

 _‘Shhhhh,’_ Renji hissed, ‘we’re not meant to talk about that here.’ His voice was much quieter and it just made Ichigo laugh more.

‘Relax we’re alone, anyway the cover with Rukia seems to be going well you’ve got most people convinced it’s her you’re after.’

‘Yeah, yeah stop avoiding the topic are you in for the Fresh Meat game or not? We need to know so we can start laying down bets.’ Toshiro scowled at these words.

‘I’m out this year sorry, got much more important things to focus on.’ There was a sound of a deodorant can being sprayed and a squirt of aftershave that left a lingering rich manly scent in the air.

‘You bore.’ Renji sighed as the two began to move and leave the bathroom, Toshiro sat there reeling with the information he’d just heard. The fact that Ichigo wasn’t playing the game just made him seem… that much more appealing and yet Toshiro knew they were bad thoughts to be having. He enjoyed watching the strawberry from the back of their chemistry classes and relished when he was late to arrive because it meant that Toshiro got to see a bit more of him as he sat down. That was looking from afar, some small part of him wondering what Ichigos involvement in the game was but now… Toshiro shook his head, he knew that Ichigo had been with Yukio and apparently had a type. This was information that required a lot more probing and he knew exactly the two people he needed to speak to. Quickly he checked his watch, not wanting to leave too soon after the two men and run the risk of being caught eavesdropping. He sat on that toilet for a further 6 minutes before departing the place. The scent of the aftershave now firmly ingrained in his memory. He only had to wait 40 minutes now to interrogate his new comrades and find out just how much of what he had heard was actually true. 


	2. Bar Skirmish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping this new chapter will prompt a little more interest in the story :)

Foot tapping impatiently upon the hard carpeted floor and fake brown eyes darting to his watch every few minutes. This was the first time in his life ever that Toshiro had found himself impatient for gossip. Clicking his tongue he tossed a look at the door. The place they normally met was the second floor in the furthest back left corner of the library between the Physics section and the window that looked out over the beautiful grounds. Toshiro glanced from the door out over the grounds, the weather was mild, a blanket of light grey clouds hung in the sky and in the distance threats of rain were visible in the form of blurred lines against the delicate horizon. His foot tapping had now turned into leg bobbing as he watched the tiny people below exit and enter the building, given that they were on the 4th floor overall of the College building. That coupled with the fact that fake coloured contacts lenses blurred his sight slightly meant that coloured blobs were about all he could see entering and leaving the building below.

The people were interesting but his eyes flickered back to his watch and he crossed his arms over his body. They were due here any second. As if on cue Toshiro heard subtle footsteps and looked in time to see Matsumoto and Yukio walking towards him talking in quiet voices. Well… Matsumoto was talking and Yukio just looked bored and only partly paying attention to her as they made their way over to the table. Spotting him a massive grin spread across Matsumotos face causing Toshiro to scowl at her.

‘Aww Shiro you actually waited where you said you would this time.’

‘Don’t call me that,’ he frowned and resisted the usual urge to not snuggle down further into his scarf like a comfort blanket.

‘Why not I think it’s cute, what do you think Yukio?’

‘If he doesn’t want to be called it-‘

‘Oh be quiet no one asked your opinion.’ She turned away from him and Yukio just shrugged and sat down at the table. Toshiros focus was on the boy now given the information that he had just heard and his mouth had gone dry at the thought of how to approach the topic. He was never one for gossip so he found it very difficult, thankfully he didn’t have to think too hard before Matsumoto offered him a distraction until he could formulate a plan.

‘Guess what happened in our Biology of Disease lecture?’ She leaned across to Toshiro and the boy jerked away from her, his personal space was a lot wider than everyone else’s and he valued that little bubble. When others violated it, it made him feel uncomfortable.

‘The Professor caught some of the guys putting on bets, bets on the Fresh Meat game.’ Toshiro scowled as these words left her mouth but continued to listen anyway. ‘The favourite seemed to be Shuhei since Ichigo isn’t taking part and he’s quite… dominant and well you’re…’ she waved a hand at him and he glanced down at himself, silly really because he knew what he looked like.

‘I’m what?’

‘Not dominant,’ she chuckled and he pulled uncomfortably at his scarf again. ‘Anyway the Professor snatched the paper and the money away from them, I think he thought they were gambling and a bunch of them got asked to stay behind after class.’ She laughed at the memory but none of what she said really made him feel any better, as if trying to make him feel worse Yukio spoke up.

‘I hope our bets are still counted and we don’t need to give more money.’ Toshiro turned to him with a scandalised look on his face. These two had placed _bets_ on him? He scowled as Yukio offered one of the first actual grins that Toshiro had ever seen. It softened his face and made him look even more adorable than he did already.

‘Yukio has a rather sarcastic sense of humour Shiro don’t listen to him.’ Matsumoto waved the other man off with her hand and he simply leaned back in his chair with this new playful look etched upon his face.

‘Don’t call me-‘

‘You’re lucky normally I’m the only one who gets to see this side of him.’ She grinned across at Yukio – completely ignoring Toshiro - and the two of them had a bit of a bonding moment that didn’t last long before they both turned their attention back to Toshiro.

‘So you didn’t bet on me?’ He asked frowning not fully understanding what was happening.

‘Oh god no, we’re your friends we’d never do that to you.’ She laughed and shook her head and Toshiro felt a little better. He found that word unusual, that it could roll off her tongue so easily. He’d only known them over a week and yet she was acting like they’d known each other for years. Thinking back on the time he had spent with the two of them, it did feel a lot longer than a week.

‘I like this side of you.’ Toshiro offered shyly turning to Yukio. Yukio offered the brown haired boy a lopsided smirk and looked back down at his hands where his consol was now nestled.

‘Shiro is warming up to you Yukio look out,’ Matsumoto breathed, ‘maybe you could win the Fresh Meat game.’

‘Speaking of that,’ Toshiro interjected, wanting very much to avoid that looming topic, ‘I over heard something interesting from Ichigo and Renji as they spoke. They mentioned that Ichigo had won the last Fresh Meat game? With Yukio.’ Toshiros body was turned towards Rangiku but his eyes flickered to Yukio whose hands faltered on his game as he looked up. His face had returned to that placid and deadpan expression it normally wore.

‘Oh yeah, I wondered when we should tell you about that, didn’t really seem relevant. He won’t talk about it, believe me I’ve tried.’ Matsumoto scoffed and glared across at Yukio who just shrugged his shoulders.

‘Nothing to tell.’

‘You got shagged by Ichigo during a 7 minutes in heaven game and you’re saying there’s nothing to tell?’

‘Wait he did it in 7 minutes?’ Toshiro tried to hide the amusement from his voice as a teasing smirk dawned on his features. Yukio was completely unaffected as his one seen eye glanced towards the ceiling for a thoughtful moment.

‘Well, it was meant to be yeah but turned into around forty minutes, I wasn’t exactly counting.’ His entire demeanour would express that he was entirely bored by their conversation but Toshiro spotted the way his fingers gently stroked the side of his consol absentmindedly the same way someone may fidget when they were uncomfortable. It was subtle and clearly Matsumoto didn’t notice it.

‘No you weren’t counting because you were too busy screaming Ichigos name.’ Matsumoto pushed him and finally a little bit of pink began to appear across the boy cheek, so much so that Toshiro felt the sudden urge to join in on this teasing.

‘Are you blushing? Was he that good?’ Toshiro chuckled and Matsumoto grinned beside them, the two working in union trying to make their friend feel as uncomfortable as they possibly could.

‘Screaming is a strong word,’ he muttered clearly trying to compose himself. ‘It was more a moderate and passive chant if that.’

Matsumoto and Toshiro laughed in unison and that’s when a stray librarian came around the corner to shush them. Despite there not being anyone else on this floor for them to possibly distract, so the three friends just stood up and made their way out of the library. It wasn’t exactly like they were doing anything constructive anyway.

‘Have you planned what you’re wearing for the pub crawl?’ Matsumoto asked Toshiro and he hesitated. It was tomorrow that the class was skipping all their collective last few classes and hitting the local pups.

‘No, what are you two wearing?’ He asked frowning and turning to Yukio who simply pointed at his usual outfit causing Matsumoto to scoff.

‘You can’t keep wearing that jacket and hat Yukio. I won’t allow it, I’m coming over to yours tomorrow and I’ll dress you if I have to.’ Her voice was totally serious and Yukio turned a concerned green eye on her.

‘You wouldn’t-‘

‘Oh I would and you know it.’ She frowned at the boy and he sighed shrugging in defeat.

‘Fine I’ll wear something else.’

_‘What?’_ She asked pushing him and he frowned at her.

‘Would a regular t shirt and jeans be okay?’ His voice was laced with sarcasm but she stood thoughtful for a moment before finally nodding.

‘It’s better than wearing what you always do, I’m going in a really cute black dress with leather boots and a dark red jacket.’ Both of them turned to look at Toshiro who was thoughtful. Despite the stuff he wore to College, he did know how to dress himself, he actually used to take pride in what he wore. Wearing waistcoats and shirts and ties, black dress trousers and nice shoes but again these were all things that had caused him to stand out just like before. His two companions could tell he’d slipped back into one of his thoughtful dazes and they left him to it, realising that silence was what he needed and he’d snap out of it when he was ready to talk, the three of them made their way down to one of the cafés in silence. Toshiro was thankful for the time to reflect, it was amazing how well they understood this small aspect of him despite only knowing him for so little time. The wig was the issue, if he could sneak a mirror out to his car he might be able to fix it at the back so he wouldn’t have to worry about the scarf. It would just be for one day, not even a full day and he knew it could be done it would just take an exhausting amount of time to sort. Then he could freely wear a shirt at least that had a bit of a collar and could hide any sloppiness at the very base of his neck. After what felt like an age he finally muttered.

‘I guess I’ll wear a shirt.’

‘I think this will be the first time I see you without a scarf.’ Matsumoto smiled thoughtfully as she leaned her head back and gazed upward. ‘I think you’d look good in a shirt, I guess I’ll finally get to see if it is love bites you’ve been hiding.’ She grinned wickedly at him and he scowled.

‘Don’t be absurd. To have love bites you need to be with someone and I’m not with anyone.’

‘You don’t need to be with anyone to have sex Shiro.’

‘Please stop calling me that.’

‘So are you?’

‘What?’

‘Having sex?’   
Toshiro threw his arms above his head, his cheeks flushing and he tried his best to calm his temper and embarrassment.

‘I’ve not had sex in over a year alright now can we drop it?’ He brought a hand up to cover the blush across his face and his other hand went back to tugging his scarf uncomfortably.

‘Aww that’s nothing to be ashamed of Shiro, if you wanted I’m sure loads of men would be happy to comply, Yukio you’re still single right? You could help him out.’

It was Yukios turn to look a little uncomfortable now as he fixed Matsumoto with a serious green eye.

‘I don’t fuck friends, leave Toshiro alone and stop calling him that ridiculous pet name.’

Matsumoto pouted, only Yukio could end her fun like that.

 

* * *

 

 

The alarm blared very early and Toshiro grumbled as he reached over to turn it off. He sat up and scratched the back of his head with his hand, wearing the wig meant he had to shower daily because sometimes his head would overheat under all that extra fluff. He had a restless sleep and lay back down for a few moments. He figured an extra twenty minutes in the morning would give him enough time to try and sort any potential issues with the wig at the back and he scowled at the thought of getting ready. He didn’t have many classes today and thankfully none of them were with Kurosaki or any members of the Fresh Meat club. He ripped his covers off and hastily made his way into the shower.

Fifteen minutes later he was trying on a couple of shirts, wanting something plain that would last him the day and not draw too much attention to himself. Finally he settled on a shirt that was dark brown, around the same shade as the wig he was planning on wearing. After all brown wouldn’t cause brown to clash so there would be nothing but blending in for him today. He quickly pulled it on along with a pair of black skinny jeans and left the house. He decided to take his scarf in his bag in case of an emergency and drove to the usual secluded lay by to fix the rest of his outfit.

It didn’t take him as long as he’d expected to fix the hair at the back and he began to wonder if he was being overly worried with that scarf. Once his prodigy hands had attached the back of his wig to his head and blended it, it looked like it truly belonged there. Feeling a bit better he made his way towards the college and parked up. The breeze around his neck was startling at first since he was so used to his scarf and he kept reaching up to tug at the fabric that wasn’t there to offer any comfort.

 

Keeping himself in the usual spot of the library he was nervous when their pre arranged meet up time loomed. His leg bounced under the table, the last time from impatience and this time from nerves. What was he nervous about? He’d agreed one pub then he was heading home, he wasn’t going to be drinking either, just a little bit of a chat and then that’d be him. Yukio walked in alone, unaccompanied by Matsumoto which Toshiro found unusual. The other man was wearing a plain white t shirt and a grunge looking, torn white bandana around his neck. This time he wore no hat but instead his blond spikes were left wild about his face and Toshiro was surprised just how much the change affected the way he looked. Before Yukio had looked adorable now he looked, for a better word; hot.

At least he looked that way he didn’t act it as he threw himself ungracefully into a seat beside Toshiro and sighed loudly.

‘Rangiku is in the bathroom fixing her hair then we’re going.’ He mumbled, he sounded just as unmotivated as Toshiro felt.

‘What bar are we meeting everyone at then?’

‘They’re going to the Tapion first,’

Toshiro knew that pub it was quite classy it was set to look like an ancient library with works of art and high domed ceilings. He’d only seen it from the outside through the windows but he’d never been inside it, it was also very close to his own house, just three blocks away to be exact.

‘Alright I’ll drive us there then.’  

The two boys sat in comfortable silence with each other while they waited on their third party member. Matsumoto finally came into the library and waved for them to get a move on, they rose obediently and walked to her side as she led them out. She’d gone with the tight fitting black dress and boots and jacket just as she’d promised and Toshiro had to admit she looked good. It must have been a sight to behold, this stunning straight woman who was turning heads of every man as they walked through the corridors flanked with two very gay men. As Toshiro considered how funny the situation was, Matsumoto had fixed him with her baby blue eyes.

‘You went with a brown shirt Toshiro? Are you just trying to blend into the book cases or something, you could have at least worn a white shirt it would have made you stand out way more.’

‘That’s exactly why I didn’t wear one.’ He muttered and he felt Yukio smile approvingly at him.

‘You do have a really nice neck though, it’s beautifully long and look.’ She squealed pointing at Toshiros neck as if seeing it for the first time – kind of true. ‘No love bites in sight.’ He flushed and growled at her.  

‘I already told you,’ he sighed and Yukio placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. It was pointless and Toshiro knew that, he resisted the urge to shake the hand off and eventually the boy took it away himself. Matsumoto was talking about some absurd TV show as they got into Toshiros car and he drove them to some public parking around the corner from the pub. It was an area of free parking for the local shopping and many residents simply left their cars overnight. Toshiro could feel his stomach clench with unease as their feet took them closer and closer to the bar though he still couldn’t fully fathom why.

Matsumoto was still talking enough for the two men as they finally walked into the stunning bar and Toshiro glanced around sheepishly. The ceiling was high and domed, decorated with an artistic flare and the entire bar was made of aged cedar wood, there were carvings of various animals and humans and other intricate designs along it. Behind the staff rose a towering bookshelf which was a common feature of every wall in the place, where they could have used fake books and no drunken person would have known they actually used real books. Ancient looking books at that too and Toshiro found himself gazing curiously at them. There were big signs around the place stating not to touch the books or works of art but he wondered how many people would pay attention to them the more drunk people got.

They finally got served at the bar – deciding to order drinks before locating the others in this massive place – and Matsumoto had made it clear that Toshiro _would_ be having a drink. He kicked up a fuss and fumed but she bought them a round of sambuca shots and Toshiro scowled at her. Even tequila had less of an alcohol content than this potent choice of drink. On top of that long vodkas were ordered and Toshiro sighed in defeat, he could hardly turn down a drink once it had been bought for him. Boy did that bring back bad memories.

He could practically see Ichimarus grin as he bought round after round of liquor, knowing if he did so that Toshiro would be obliged to drink it. He’d always made a comment that ‘Drunk Toshiro’ was his favourite kind of Toshiro to be around. With a deep sigh they carried their drinks as they looked around for their friends. He wasn’t all that different with a drink in him, not really. A bit more easy going perhaps, a bit more talkative and a bit more compliant with things that usually caused him to scowl and huff but that was it, perhaps a bit more reckless and bit more laid back. Okay so he was very different when he was drunk.

Soon Matsumoto was leading them through an archway and there in the middle of the new chamber was their entire fourth year class. It wasn’t a large class at all and consisted of 16 people or 17 if Toshiro counted himself.

‘Glad you could make it,’ the girl with long strawberry blond hair spoke.

‘I just came to learn everyones names.’ Toshiro said quickly when he realised she was looking straight at him.

‘It will take you all day to learn everyones names.’ Matsumoto chuckled at him and he quirked a brow at her as if inviting her to challenge him.

‘Introduction time,’ she smiled as some members of the table settled down to listen, others still engaged in conversation. ‘That’s Orihimi, Ichigo, Chad, Uryu, Rukia, Renji, Shuhei, Izuru, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Isane, Nanao, Nemu and Tatsiki.’ Each person was pointed too in turn and usually gave a nod or smile of approval to him; he put on his best dead locked face and merely offered an incline of his head to each person. Trying not to focus on Kurosaki or the fact he was wearing a deliciously see through white shirt that made his bright orange hair look even brighter.

‘Toshiro, glad you could make it.’ The one called Shuhei winked at him and he scowled back. ‘Aren’t you guys going to do your shots?’

Placing their long vodkas down on the long wooden table as they perched at the end, the three of them held up their shots and downed them in one go earning a cheer from the rest of the table. Toshiro held back a grimace as the alcohol hit the back of his throat. Sambucca didn’t sting like ordinary alcoholic drinks but it’s after taste was most unpleasant.

 Once seated, Toshiro began to relax, feeling the effects of the shot taking over and the few sips of his long vodka. Mostly he listened to the useless babble and general chit chat of the others around him. He sat between Matsumoto and the girl Orihimi who sat right beside Ichigo. Across the table from the strawberry blond was Shuhei and to his right was Renji. He knew he’d have to implement his plan very soon, though thinking about the appropriate time was difficult. Matsumoto and Yukio had engaged Tatsuki into a conversation about why Yukio should wear his hat less often.

‘How are you finding your time at the College Toshiro?’ Orihimi asked and Toshiro turned to gaze at the kind girl curiously.

‘Oh it’s alright.’ He mumbled quietly and she smiled kindly at him.

‘Have you stopped getting lost yet? It took me nearly a whole year to find my way about myself.’ He smiled at her, the chat was easy and not private and he was actually grateful for it.

‘The first day I could have done with a map but that one.’ He inclined with his to his right where Matsumoto was having a heated debate with Yukio. ‘Found me and has basically dragged me everywhere I need to go, can’t get away from her.’

Orihimi looked over at Matsumoto and gave a little chuckle.

‘Oh Rangiku looks after everyone in our year almost, she’s so kind.’ This was a statement that Toshiro could agree with and he turned to look at his friend rather fondly. Friend. It felt weird to call her that but he’d be lying if he didn’t say that her and Yukio were two people he felt he could call that. He hesitated then stared at his drink. How could he call them that when they didn’t even know him? Didn’t even know that he wore a disguise, but then that was his insecurities and it wasn’t their fault that he didn’t give them a chance to accept him. He shook his head, this was the alcohol speaking now, they weren’t friends, of course not. That was absurd they didn’t even know each other.

‘So Toshiro are you single?’ The voice was one he recognised and he looked up to meet the gaze of Shuhei. Matsumoto and Yukio had now stopped their bickering and had turned to listen and so had a few members of the rest of the table. Clearly the people who had bets on or were taking part in this puerile challenge of theirs, he knew what he had to say, Matsumoto and Yukio and him had gone over it already.

‘No, I’m not. I’ve been with my boyfriend for over two years.’ He lied smoothly and he saw the grin that was on Shuhei’s face falter and slide off. Toshiro could see Kurosaki’s eyes now on him but he refused to meet them, staring intently at Shuhei.

‘Oh yeah, got a picture?’ He challenged and Toshiro sighed reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. He brought up the picture and held the device in front of Shuheis face. The older boy looked at the picture his face frowning and Renji glanced over his shoulder and whispered something into his ear. The older boy made to reach for the phone but Toshiro pulled it gracefully out of reach.

‘Look with your eyes not with your hands.’ He scolded and briefly flashed the picture to Orihimi who asked to see it, while it was pointed her way Kurosaki got a perfect view of the image before Toshiro put the device away.

He saw Renji and Shuhei exchange words that looked oddly like; ‘this is going to be harder than I thought.’ With each other and some others at the table but he chose to ignore them finishing off his long vodka. Matsumoto smiled approvingly at him but his eyes tore away when Kurosaki stood up and turned in time to chat with one of the bar tenders. If Toshiro hadn’t heard what he’d done to Yukio he’d have guessed the tall strawberry was straight as he openly flirted with the bar tender. She was like putty in his large beautiful hands as he ran one of them through his hair and smiled pleasantly at her.

His eyes held a playful look in them that made Toshiros heart leap into his throat, he wished the older boy would look at him that way. Wait what? That was the alcohol. He glared down at the glass that had magically refilled itself and turned to stare down Matsumoto who pretended to innocently whistle at his side. So that’s why the bar tender had come by, he turned back to look at the exchange between her and Ichigo. She was batting her eyelashes at him and even leaned into him, placing a hand against his chest, pushing the fabric of the see through shirt closer to his body and Toshiro could clearly see the well defined abs the boy boasted under the garment. If it were not for his astute eyesight he’d have missed a hooded figure in the corner of the room who watched the exchange get up and exit.

Toshiro never really thought anything of it and instead turned around to finish his drink.

‘If you’re going to stare don’t make it so obvious.’ Matsumoto chuckled under her breath.

‘You’re the one plying me with alcohol.’ He frowned at her, he could already feel the alcohol he’d had coating his cheeks in a fine pink flourish and it seemed to have done the same to Yukio too.

‘Because I want to see what Shiro is like drunk.’ She grinned and he scowled at her.

‘Well he still doesn’t like to be called that if that’s what you mean?’

At that moment another round of sambucca shots had been placed in front of everyone in the table and Kurosaki had sat back down again.

‘Lets light them up.’ Ichigo laughed brandishing a lighter and everyone leaned over to offer their shot glasses to have them set on fire. Everyone except Toshiro of course.

‘C’mon Toshiro it’s not like it’s going to actually _burn_ you.’ Renji sneered and Toshiro scowled at him, he was beginning to dislike the smug boy.

‘I know that, it’s just a wimps way of drinking, it burns away the precious alcohol,’ he snapped back.

‘Are you sure it’s not just the fact you’re afraid?’

If it had not been Kurosaki to have said it, Toshiro probably wouldn’t have chosen that moment to be so bold. He held out a hand for the lighter and the smirking strawberry passed him it.

‘Do you’re damn shot and then I’ll show you a trick.’ He sneered at them, the rest of the table counted down and took their shots, some taking it straight with the flame and letting the lack of oxygen in their oesophagus extinguishing the flames or blowing them out before downing them.

Then half the table turned to Toshiro expectantly. He couldn’t believe he was about to do this, he’d not done this since his days with Ichimaru and he took a deep breath. The alcohol was now very much in charge of him and he lit the lighter in his hand at the ready, the multi-dexterous prodigy took the shot into his mouth with his left hand and as the alcohol sat on his tongue he tilted his head back and lit the flame inside his mouth. He let his tongue become engulfed in the flame as a couple of people at the table squealed in shock, he counted down five long seconds before closing over his mouth, distinguishing the flames and tossing the lighter back to Kurosaki who caught it looking impressed.

‘Where did you learn to do that?’ Renji asked, his voice sounding clearly impressed.

‘From your mother.’ Toshiro stood up and took Yukio and Matsumotos empty glasses as everyone at the table laughed at Renji. He needed an excuse to get away so buying a round seemed like the perfect cover as he wove his way back towards the bar. He wasn’t in any rush to be served and instead was ogling the ancient book collection behind the staff. One of them smiled and came over to him.

‘Three long vodkas please.’ He asked kindly and knew he’d be paying for this tomorrow. He glanced outside not even sure how long they’d been here as the sun was already starting to set outside. The bar tender went about doing whatever it was she did and he put down the money, picking up the drinks he made his way back towards the table where everyone was chatting away loudly.

Yukio seemed to come out of his shell just as much as Toshiro did when he had a drink and Toshiro observed thoughtfully as the boys words become slurred and his only seen eye became half lidded. If Toshiro had been anymore drunk than he currently was he doubted he’d have noticed the occasional looks tossed his way from other people at the table, he tried his best to ignore them but met Kurosakis glance by mistake. The tall strawberry grinned at him and Toshiro just quickly turned around to Matsumoto and tried to block him out.

‘He’s still looking at you.’ She chuckled not meeting his eyes and he scowled at her.

‘Shut up.’

They continued chatting animatedly for the better part of half an hour about nothing in particular, TV shows, games and movies were some of the topics covered and he was told by several rather drunk young adults that he needed to watch this BBC adaptation of Sherlock set in modern day London. He made a mental note that he hoped he would still be able to read in the morning when _they_ arrived.

A group of around 20 hooded guys came under the archway and instantly Toshiro felt the back of his neck prickle. He turned for a better look at them and the entire bar seemed to have gone a bit quiet. One of the main guys stepped forward taking down his hood and squaring up to Kurosaki who had stood up to meet him.

‘I told you to stop fucking flirting with my bird.’ His voice was laced with violence and the scene caused Toshiro to feel instantly more sober. The rest of the fourth years were shuffling nervously at the table and Matsumoto stood up to try and diffuse the situation.

‘Look Ichigo flirts with everyone lets just calm-‘ She placed a hand on his shoulder and one of his friends leaped forward and punched her, she stumbled back and fell on the floor. Then everything happened all at once and so quickly, the man was about to launch forward but Toshiro was there blocking his way, his eyes screaming bloody murder at the bastard. Ichigo and Chad and some of the others had started to engage the others but Toshiro was focused on his massive opponent who had hurt his friend.

‘Rangiku are you alright?’ Toshiro asked and Yukio was instantly by her side, she made a painful groan in agreement and Toshiro set his jaw. The man pulled back his fist but Toshiro was too quick, down he ducked and punched the brute so forcefully in just the right place that he actually leaned over and vomited, Toshiro brought his elbow up and grasped his own fist with his other hand to double the force as he brought the elbow down into the back of the mans skull. With a resounding _crack_ the man was sent face first into his own mess he’d made.   
The rest of the bar had cleared out and certainly the only fourth years who’d stayed behind seemed to be the ones content with fighting. One of the other men grabbed Toshiro by his left arm and yanked him away from his fallen comrade and instantly another man had grabbed his right side trying to keep the squirming boy in place as a third guy came at him drawing back a fist and aiming for Toshiros gut.

‘Toshiro!’ The voice had sounded so worried and he wasn’t even sure which direction is had come from. The trained Choh Dahn wasn’t having any of it, waiting until the last possible moment he twisted his small frame and yanked pulling the slightly smaller man who had a hold of his right side into the line of fire of his comrades punch. Where the punch would have collided with Toshiros waist on this taller man it collided with his groin and his grasp on Toshiro disappeared as he reached down to clutch what was most precious to him. With his right side now free, he aimed a high kick to the side of the attackers head with enough force to knock him out on the spot. The Kul Sool Won training was taking effect and he now turned to the scared looking man who had a hold on his left side. Toshiro yanked the limb closer and using his now free right hand clamped down hard on the brachial pressure point of the mans arm. With a squeal the man dropped to his knees as Toshiro continued to apply pressure to the area listening to the man grunt and moan in pain.

‘Charlie!’ One of the others called and rushed forward only to be throttled by Chad.

‘Ow ow, ow please let go!’ He screamed as Toshiro continued to dig his digits into the sensitive area. Toshiro ripped his left arm free of the mans grasp and spun his body around bringing his left leg up and slamming the back of his heel into the side of the mans head sending him crashing to the ground.

‘Quick lets get out of here.’ Kurosakis voice sounded concerned and the people who were left began to rush out the door. Bodies littered the entire chamber but they knew the police wouldn’t be far behind. Kurosaki stopped to help the two smaller boys bring Rangiku to her legs and they all quickly swept out the streets. The sound of sirens in the distance set them into panic mode.

‘Split up!’ Uryu shouted and they separated into 3 groups. Toshiro stuck with his own band of people that included Yukio, Rangiku, Kurosaki and Chad. They made their way down familiar streets towards Toshiros house, though they were just trying to get as far away from the scene as they could.

‘We need somewhere to hide.’ Ichigo hissed and Toshiro instantly lead them off path trying to keep his pace slow as he knew he easily had the ability to outrun them all. To do so would mean leaving behind Rangiku and Yukio though and he couldn’t bring himself to ever do that.

The group poured into a small forest beside his neighbours garden and they stopped behind the trees shielded from view of the main road and caught their breaths.

‘Rangiku are you alright?’ Toshiro couldn’t stop the concern that laced his voice as he moved over to her, he quickly pulled his mobile from his pocket and opened a blank word document for a plain white light and held it up towards her face.

There was a noticeable scuffle beside her left eye but it looked more like the punch had grazed the side of her face than hit her directly on. He exhaled his relief and took her chin gently in his cold fingers. He could see several emotions going through those baby blue eyes of hers and he quickly shut off his light and leapt away. There was a rather noticeable silence and Toshiro realised everyone was staring at him. Panic. Had his wig fallen off? He quickly checked, running a hand up the back of his hair. No it was fine, none of the men had gone for his face thank god.

_‘Where did you learn to fight like that?’_ It was Kurosaki who was staring at him with a mixture of admiration and concern.

‘Doesn’t matter.’ He mumbled and ignored the strawberry focusing only on Rangiku.

‘Wow Shiro.’ She muttered at him, ‘you took down four men twice your height, not even Chad managed to take down four.’

Even Yukio was looking at him as if he were only just seeing him for the first time. Toshiro didn’t like it, he didn’t like that his friends were looking at him like this, he shuffled uncomfortably and reached up to grasp at his scarf but it wasn’t around his neck so he judge fidgeted with his collar.

‘Damn Toshiro remind me not to get you mad.’ Kurosaki joked but the admiration was still thick in his voice as he stood back up from his crouching spot.

‘We shouldn’t stay here.’ Toshiro said quickly, ‘they may come and scout this area its best we go our separate ways. I’d like to keep an eye on Rangiku though.’ He said as he thought to himself; his house was only a little bit away, Granny would be out at bingo and he was sure he could slip Rangiku into his house and play it off as having an early night. He could leave a note for his Gran so she wouldn’t disturb him and he could get up early the next morning to put the wig and contacts on before Rangiku would wake up.

‘Aww Shiro you do care.’

‘Don’t call me that.’

‘I can get to mine easily from here.’ Kurosaki said thrusting a thumb behind him, ‘I flat share with Uryu three blocks from here.’

‘I can walk Yukio home, we’re neighbours anyway.’ Chad said and Toshiro realised it was the first time he’d heard the large Mexican man speak.

Yukio nodded to him and offered Toshiro a shy smile.

‘Look after her.’ His voice was full of concern and Toshiro could tell he cared a great deal about the woman. He gave his friend a comforting smile and nodded his head.

‘Don’t worry I will.’

They parted from the trees one at a time and Rangiku was able to walk on her own two doors down to Toshiros house. They walked in a comfortable silence and once instead Toshiro scribbled a hasty note for his Gran informing her that he’d been having a drink with some friends that he had drunk plenty of water and gone to bed early.

‘We’ll have to be quiet.’ He said as he led her into his room which he desperately wish he’d cleaned beforehand. ‘My Gran wont appreciate me having female company,’ he scowled at the thought and shook his head, ‘and I’d like to avoid any of _those_ chats.’

‘You live with your Gran?’ Rangiku asked sitting on his desk chair as she glanced around his room. It was a plain beige room, nothing interesting really he kept it plain and that’s how he liked it. There was a large double bed that took up most of the space under a window that looked out onto the back garden. A wardrobe pushed against the wall at the bottom of his head and a desk and chair that Rangiku now occupied. He’d simply left behind loads of shirts and trousers that he’d been trying on that morning in a bid to find one that would work.

‘What happened to your parents?’ She asked it so softly, like she already expected the answer as he went about lifting shirts and tidying away as much stuff as he could. He straightened up with his back still turned towards her.

‘Dead.’ He said simply no emotion behind the words because really there wasn’t any to be had, he’d been raised by his Gran and that was that.

‘I’m so sorry.’ She said, and she sounded it too.

‘Don’t be I was 3 I barely remember them, my Gran is my family.’ He continued to throw stuff into his wardrobe and turned back to her when his room was a little more presentable. He glanced at her and hesitated, opening his cupboard back up and pulled out a massive shirt. It had belonged to Ichimaru and Toshiro wasn’t sure why he still kept it, he often wore it from time to time but not for the happy memories, if anything he just liked the way the large shirt felt against his skin. He held it out to her and she looked at him puzzled.

‘You don’t want to sleep in that dress.’ He stated simply then hesitated. ‘I can leave and give you some privacy. She smiled at him and laughed.

‘You’re gay, I have nothing to worry about, I dress in front of Yukio whenever he comes over to mind anyway.’ Toshiro still averted his eyes as she got ready and thought about what he himself would have to wear, most men usually slept naked and so he decided to just undo the first few buttons of his brown shirt and pull off his skinny jeans tossing them with Rangikus stuff on the floor.

‘You can take the bed I’ll bring covers through to sleep on the floor.’ He said but she grabbed his arm as he went to leave and Toshiro felt himself being pulled back, her baby blue eyes meeting his fake brown ones and he instantly felt the need to look away.

‘Share the bed with me, I promise I don’t take up as much room as I look like I would.’ She smiled and he sighed, it would make things easier if he did that. It would be okay right? He was interested in men and she wasn’t interested in him. They were friends, so he finally nodded and she grinned at him. They both got onto the bed and Toshiro felt weird at first, he’d not shared a bed with anyone since Ichimaru but he eventually found he could relax when she started babbling on about the rest of the fight he’d missed while he’d been so wrapped up in his own.

Apparently most of the girls had taken off, Renji had gone down and Shuhei not long after him, Ichigo took out three of the guys and so did Chad. Toshiro had taken on the most and delivered blows that stopped them getting back up unlike everyone else. Of the others who were left such as Uryu and Izuru and Ikkaku and Yumichika they’d taken on about 2 each and Renji and Shuhei had also taken on one each before going down, they were saved by Ikkaku and Yumichika. As she spoke Toshiro could heard her starting to fall asleep, parts of her story becoming slurred until eventually she stopped speaking entirely. Toshiro was fighting back his own exhaustion as he reached over to turn the lights off. He knew better than to sleep with contacts in so pulled his emergency casing out from his top shelf, double checking each time that Ran was asleep. He took the contacts out and felt the relief instantly even in the dark, he then reached up and gently tugged the wig off pushing it into the drawer and closing it. He knew he needed to properly keep it and comb it but he’d just have to try and do his best in the morning before the other girl woke and without Granny seeing him. Boy this was proving to be exhausting, Toshiro groaned inwardly to himself as he rubbed his tired eyes, rolling over and snuggling down into the covers. The weight on the other side of the bed was actually comforting and it was the closest Toshiro had felt to anyone in such a long time, he realised it for as long as he could until the comfort of sleep finally overtook his mind.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know your thoughts and leave me a comment / kudos if you want more!


	3. Unexpected Audition

The peace was disturbed. In the distance there was a muffed shriek and Toshiro sat bolt upright, hastily rubbing sleep from his tired eyes. His first thoughts were for his Gran but then he felt a weight shift on his bed and he froze. He forgot to set a vibrating alarm on his watch and he removed his hands from his eyes keeping them closed as realization dawned on him.

‘Toshiro! Your hair!’

He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose before exhaling loudly and opening his eyes to turn them to her.

‘Don’t freak out, please be quiet.’ He mumbled, worried his Gran may have heard her shriek and she gasped at his eyes.

‘Oh my god Shiro,’ she moved across the bed and into his personal space, taking his face in her hands and he cringed at the closeness.  _‘Oh. My. God.’_ Her face conveyed her obvious shock as her baby blue eyes danced across him hungrily taking in all of the new details presented to her. He left her to do so, meeting her baby blue eyes with wide and slightly panicking teal eyes.

‘Please don’t freak out.’ He mumbled, from here he could see the slightly smudged eye makeup around the corner of her eyes and her slightly ruffled hair. Other than these little differences she woke up almost as beautiful as she’d gone to sleep, except the scuffle at the side of her right eye that looked like it was beginning to bruise.

‘Freak out? Why would I freak out? I only wake up to find my friend has white hair.  _White._ And then your eyes… they’re turquoise?’

‘Teal.’

‘Right…. Oh my gosh Toshiro why would you hide this?’ She reached up and brushed a strand of white hair that had fallen into his eye. He leaned into the caring touch and he felt shame wash over him.

‘Because, I-‘ he felt his throat close up and he looked away from her.

‘This has something to do with why you transferred Colleges doesn’t it?’ She offered and he nodded his head slowly.

‘People think I’m a freak.’ He whispered and she had to lean in to hear him. ‘I attract so much unwanted attention, no one needs to be exposed to such an ugly sight.’

‘Ugly?  _Ugly?_ Shiro you’re many things, a bit cold and distant a bit of a puzzle and a mystery but also kind and caring. You’re many things but ugly is not one of them.’ His eyes snapped back to her full of confusion. How could she say that? No one that looked this different could be called anything else other than ugly surely? ‘Shiro you’re…’ she sat back and took everything in, letting his face go from her hands now and he sat clutching at the covers under her gaze. ‘You’re really fucking adorable is what you are, those big teal eyes and that soft snowy white hair!’ She sat shaking her head and a smile perched upon her perfect lips.

‘No one who looks this different can be called adorable.’ He muttered and he looked down at his bed covers.

‘Who told you that?’ she snorted.

‘My ex, Gin Ichimaru.’ He wasn’t sure why he was giving her all this information and he shut his mouth with a tight snap. He wasn’t going to say anything more than this. She seemed to have noticed and they sat in silence for a few moments. The silence was comfortable but he could feel the air prickling with unanswered questions.

‘Do you want to talk about it?’

‘No.’

‘Okay.’   
More silence and she lay back down into the bed covers for a moment. He felt like he couldn’t meet her eyes because she’d already bore witness to his teal gaze enough. She clearly didn’t think so and reached up to try and tug him down with her. He yelped in surprise when he was pulled down to her side and tried to squirm to get free. A gentle hand wove its way into his hair and he closed his eyes, his whole body tensing waiting for her to pull it, to yank it until he bled at the roots but she did none of it. Instead she ran her fingers through it and soon his tensed body began to relax.

‘Mmmm,’ he muttered not even aware the fact he’d made a noise of content at the strange sensations coursing through him from the woman’s touch. It was soothing and he felt himself nearly drift back off to sleep as her slender fingers massaged his head and combed through his hair. All too soon though Rangiku stirred and turned to him, her hands stopping their delicious assault on his scalp and planted a soft kiss right on the middle of his forehead, filling him with warmth.

‘Well,’ she rubbed the side of her face and chuckled. ‘I suppose I should get changed and head home.’

He sighed he didn’t want her to go. He was actually enjoying having here but he knew he couldn’t keep her here forever. It was a Saturday after all and she probably had much better people to spend her time with other than the white haired freak.

‘I’ll give you a lift, I need to collect my car from the pub anyway.’ He blinked at her and she smiled, she stood up and went about changing back into her dress. She scrunched her face up as she picked the outfit up off the flood.

‘I hate wearing second day clothes.’ She huffed and he chuckled at her.

‘It’s just until you can get home then you’ll change.’ He smiled at the thought, he sometimes wore the same thing a couple of times before washing it especially t-shirts or jeans, and it seemed Rangiku was not that kind of lady. She began unbuttoning the shirt he’d given her and he quickly looked away.

‘You’re such a prude,’ he heard her voice mocking from somewhere to his right but he just ignored her, focusing all his attention to the bottom of his bed. ‘There I’m dressed you can look now,’ she laughed and he turned sheepishly towards her, it was true she was dressed and put the shirt he’d given her onto the back of his desk chair. He slipped out of the covers and opened his drawers pulling out a fresh pair of boxers and socks and hastily picked up a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. She watched as he walked about picking up all the clothing as she sat on his chair. He hesitated and turned to her.

‘Do you mind?’

‘Nope.’

He sighed and shuffled uncomfortable, ‘I mean could you look away while I get changed.’

‘You’ve not got anything I’ve not seen before.’ She laughed and he glared at her, he was very much sure he did have something she hadn’t seen before and it was very personal. She met his gaze and just rolled her eyes before turning away from him. Despite this he didn’t trust her so he quickly changed into the new boxers and put the jeans on, keeping his back turned away and facing her as he changed out of the brown shirt and quickly into the t-shirt. Once the delicate fabric had covered his back he sighed with relief, tossing a thick black hoodie on over it.

‘Okay thanks,’ he mumbled as he picked up the dirty clothing and stuffed it in a wash basket in his wardrobe.

Opening his bedroom door with extreme caution he slipped out to check the coast was clear. It was just after 7am and it seemed his Gran wasn’t awake yet, after a late night playing bingo on a Friday night she usually slept until about 8am the next day so he led Rangiku carefully out the front door. He had his hood up and a pair of sunglasses on his eyes despite the weather being cloudy, he wasn’t running the risk of anyone seeing him. He’d pulled the cords on the hoodie so that it hid his white hair completely from view and ignored Rangiku as she laughed at him and told him he was being silly.

‘Please don’t tell anyone,’ he asked as they made their way towards the bar.

‘That goes without saying but are we going to keep Yukio in the dark about his too?’ She asked and he hesitated, he knew they two were close but he just wasn’t ready to reveal himself to anyone quite yet.

‘Yes please, I just I’m not ready yet.’ He sighed and tugged at the already tight cords of the hoodie.

‘Alright then you have my word I won’t breathe a word of this to anyone.’

‘Thank you.’ He could hear in her voice she was genuine and from what he knew of her she didn’t seem the kind of person to so easily break her word to someone she considered worthy enough to call a friend.

Eventually she started babbling as she always did and Toshiro only half listened as he always did. It didn’t take them long to get the car and he was soon dropping her off a couple of miles North from the College.

‘Thanks Shiro I’ll see you on Monday!’ She called slamming the door loudly as he once again tried to shout his rejection to the silly little nick name.

 

* * *

 

 

Monday was hell. Everyone, that was, _everyone_ was talking about the bar fight that happened on the Friday evening. Somewhere along the lines as the day went on Renji went from getting his ass kicked to taking down all 20 in one go single handed. The stories that were forming were ludicrous but no matter where Toshiro went he couldn’t get away from his class mates who were questioning the prodigy on his fighting style.

Pulling his scarf back up around his neck and his fake brown eyes darting around at all the towering mass of bodies that encircled him, he bit back the urge to scream for help. He’d just come out of his Atmospheric Thermodynamics class and been cornered by Shuhei, Uryu and Ikkaku.

‘You moved so fast have you ever thought about trying out for the basket ball team?’

‘Basket ball? Look at him he’s tiny no you should go for the football team?’

‘He’d be crushed.’

‘Not if they couldn’t catch him.’

He wasn’t even sure who was saying what as he scowled and kept trying to get away hoping that Rangiku or Yukio would come around the corner and save him. He’d agreed to meet them in the library over ten minutes ago and couldn’t get to them because these three men weren’t letting him passed.

‘Leave him alone.’ The commanding voice sounded and the three men broke apart turning towards the end of the corridor. Toshiro glanced around at his savoir and felt his heart jump into his throat. Kurosaki. The tall strawberry walked gracefully towards them and stepped between some of the men and Toshiro.

‘If you make him snap you could be like those guys back at the bar so I’d stop pressing his buttons.’ Kurosaki commented and the boys just chuckled walking away.

‘Sorry Toshiro,’ it was Uryu and he glanced up at Kurosaki. ‘I’ll see you at the auditions?’ The delicious strawberry nodded to his friend who walked away after the other two boys and suddenly it was just Toshiro and Kurosaki left in the corridor.

‘Thank you.’ Toshiro mumbled as he snuggled down into his scarf.

‘No need to thank me, you helped me out on Friday those guys had come for me you didn’t need to get involved.’ He shrugged his large shoulders and Toshiro recalled a painful memory.

‘They hit Rangiku.’ His voice was hard and cold though it was not directed at the strawberry blond but at the stupid idiots who had hurt his friend. Kurosaki stiffened at the memory and his voice seemed to fill with the same cold hard edge.

‘I know.’ They stood in silence for a while as they both recalled the fight. ‘I’ll admit I find it strange,’ Kurosaki soon spoke, ‘that you could take those guys down with ease and yet you can’t seem to stop people questioning you and cornering you to talk about something when you look like you’re really uncomfortable.’

‘It’s different.’ Toshiro shook his head, ‘what you saw in the bar that was me protecting someone else.’

‘So you don’t stand up for yourself?’ he asked.

‘I-I, when it’s raw aggression for the sake of causing physical pain… I try but if it’s…’ he recalled his relationship with Gin where he’d never stood up for himself for over a year.

‘Mental?’ Kurosaki finished as if reading the pain that Toshiro let slip through his stoic mask. Toshiro straightened up and quickly walked around the taller man.

‘Sorry I’m late meeting my friends, it was nice to speak to you.’ Toshiro quickly scampered off.

‘Wait! Toshiro! Toshiro!’ Even though he felt Kurosaki was hot on his tail he lost him with ease, the smaller boy slipping effortlessly into a wall of people who’d just come out a first year class.

 

‘Where the hell have you been?’ Came Rangikus worried and scolding voice when he finally made it to their usual spot in the Library.

‘I got cornered and question about my fighting on Friday.’ He scowled as he dropped into a seat beside his friends. Yukio was now back to his usual outfit and glanced up at Toshiro with a lazy green eye.

‘Why didn’t you just drop kick them?’

Toshiro scowled and huffed.

‘Kurosaki asked me the same thing.’

‘You ran into Ichigo?’ Rangiku asked with interest, leaning across the table to invade his personal bubble but he didn’t lean back like he normally would. After their exchange on the Saturday morning he kind of liked having her in his personal space.

‘Yes, it was brief he asked me and I ran away.’ He scowled and snuggled down into the white fabric that clung around his neck. They were silent for a little while as Toshiro continued to glare at the desk and then Rangiku and Yukio both chuckled. Clearly they had been exchanging looks when he was busy scowling at the desk.

 _‘You like him,’_ she hissed as she jabbed his side with a delicate finger. He leapt away from her and towards Yukio with an indignant look on his face.

‘What?’ He snapped, feel heat rising into his cheeks. ‘No I don’t.’

‘You said that a little too quickly Toshiro.’ Yukio chuckled beside him and he quickly turned to his friend.

‘But you-‘

‘It was a fuck Toshiro I don’t have dibs and besides I don’t like him.’ Yukio offered a rare smile and shrugged his shoulders. ‘If you like him I’d recommend going for it, he’s very good in bed.’

‘Oh are you ready to talk?’ Rangiku asked leaning across the table towards Yukio and he just snorted at her.

‘Don’t be silly, if you want the juicy details of what Ichigo is like in bed then I highly recommend asking someone to write you some yaoi based Ichigo fan fiction because you’re not getting the details from me.’

Toshiro chuckled at the mortified look that crossed Rangikus face as she pulled away from the other man and stuck a middle finger up at him.

‘So you didn’t have any feelings for him?’ Toshiro asked shyly as he glanced at his friend. That playful smirk that he’d only seen once before crossed back over his face.

‘No, I only did it because Rangiku placed a bet that Ichigo would win.’

‘Thanks for that by the way!’

‘No problem.’ He waved a hand and stuffed his game consol into his bag, clearly enjoying the conversation now. Toshiro had noticed that since he’d met Yukio the boy was playing his consol less and less in their company. He was glad for it because he enjoyed the exchanges between Rangiku and him.

‘Anyway to take your mind off the stuff that happened on Friday-‘ Yukio started,

‘And to get you away from the assholes cornering you-‘ Rangiku continued.

‘We’ve got a great place worth going to hang out.’ Yukio stood up and shared a knowing look with Rangiku and Toshiro felt a weight sink in his stomach. They only ever finished each others sentences when they were ganging up on him.

‘What?’ He squeaked in fear as Rangikus hand slipped gently under his arm and pulled him up from his seat.

‘Come on, don’t worry we’re not going to hurt you.’ Yukio went to shove his back but Toshiro dove out the way scowling at his friends.

‘Why do I get the feeling you’ve got something planned that I won’t like.’

‘You’ll find it entertaining trust us, come on.’ Rangiku smiled and he sighed in defeat following them out of the library.

 

His friends lead him down a new corridor he’d never been, the delicate walls gave way to larger hallways with painted white bricks instead of wall paper. Their shoes echoing on the cement clad flooring that inclined down towards a pair of large oak double doors. Opening them Toshiros gaze was met with a large Auditorium, the stage of which had clearly been set up for drama purposes instead of lecture purposes. The slanting room took the form of a crescent moon with hundreds and hundreds of comfortable self folding chairs curving around in rows and pointing directly towards the stage that was draped with large lush red hangings. There were the odd scattering of students sitting around in chairs holding paper in their hands and on the stage Toshiro recognised some of his classmates, including Uryu and Ichigo. Their voices echoed loudly in the room so even when they were just talking they could be clearly heard in the first few rows at least.

Rangiku marched the band down and they sat in the fifth row away from the stage, their movements basically going unnoticed by everyone who was on the stage at the time.

‘Auditioning for the part of Tina we have…’ Uryu spoke loudly tapping at a clipboard in his hands.

‘Katilyn Stronach.’ A timid girl piped up and already Toshiro could see Kurosaki sigh and exchange a look with Uryu and Rukia. The girl did her best to read out her lines and three times Kurosaki had to ask for her to make her voice louder. Even so Toshiro, Rangiku and Yukio had to lean forward to try and hear her and they were only in the fifth row away from the stage. There were easily another twenty rows behind them that wouldn’t be able to hear the girl at all if the auditorium was full.

‘Thanks.’ Kurosaki mumbled and he walked over to Rukia and the two of them spoke in hushed voices before he walked back out and dismissed the girl with a kind smile.

‘We still need a Sam.’ Uryu sighed rubbing his head and Ichigo called out, ‘Sam auditions please come up on stage.’

Toshiro watched as a couple of shy looking second years and a third year made their way up on stage.

At this moment Toshiro felt the side of his arm being slapped gently with paper and he turned to Rangiku with a quizzical look, he took the paper and looked at the front page.

 _‘All Star Productions.’_ Was printed on the centre of the first page and he smiled to himself as he flipped it open and quickly began to skim through some of the script. The story was about an all star prodigy in basket ball called Denali whose father was obsessed with him going on to play professionally but the boy struggled with coming to terms with his sexuality and his love interest; Sam. Though the story was all about sexuality Sam only seemed to feature in a few scenes, Toshiro was part of the way through reading the end scene when someone shouted on stage.

‘I THINK I AM FALLING FOR YOU.’

This third year boy was shouting at Kurosaki. He was shouting at him. Rangiku and Yukio were already laughing hysterically beside Toshiro at the sight. Kurosaki looked bewildered but the show went on and he continued trying to read lines with the boy for his audition. Kurosaki was a professional and his voice was smooth as he easily stepped into character only for the third year student to blast him out of it by shouting his own lines once again.

The entire scene was comical and even Toshiro had joined in with the laughing as he watched Rukia had to be lead off the stage because she was about to piss herself. Even Uryu was hiding his chuckles behind his clipboard.

‘Alright thank you that will do.’ Kurosaki growled at the younger boy who looked very confident with his skills and boldly walked off the stage with his chest puffed out. Toshiro realised he’d missed the second year students who’d auditioned and was just about to return to reading the script when Kurosaki called back out.

‘Anyone else for Sam auditions?’ There was almost a pleading desperation in his voice and Toshiro felt sorry for him. At that exact moment Rangiku jabbed him harshly in his side and he squealed and leaped up out his seat. The noise didn’t go unnoticed in the auditorium and even though his standing wasn’t much taller than his sitting he’d attracted the attention of the people on stage.

‘Toshiro?’ Kurosaki asked his voice confused and a little bemused.

‘I-No I’m not here to audition I just,’ he glared at Rangiku who was smiling broadly at him with Yukio leaning over beside her a grin on his face too. They fluttered their eyes expectantly at him and he felt the colour drain from his face. That’s why they’d brought him here.

‘Toshiro?’ Kurosaki called but his voice sounded different, confused and worried. Toshiro’s head snapped over to the beautiful man and he realised that he was gazing at his arm. ‘What’s that on your arm, lift it up a second?’

Panicking that some form of his disguise had been uncovered he lifted his arm to glance at his elbow.

‘Oh look a volunteer, come on up.’ Kurosaki grinned ushering the boy onto the stage with his own scrip papers. Toshiro blinked, lowering his arm stupidly and listening to the roars of laughter from his comrades, if he could even still call them that after this betrayal.

Next to Rangiku and Yukio and Kurosaki he knew he was not escaping this one so he dragged his feet towards the stage feeling heat rise in his face.

‘Seriously, this isn’t a real audition I’m just doing this so you’ll all leave me alone.’ He breathed narrowing his eyes and tugging at his scarf uncomfortably; Kurosaki just chuckled at him and nodded at the script in his shaking hands.

‘We’ll do Act 5, Scene 8.’ Toshiro flipped through the script and found the scene he’d just been finishing up. He could feel all eyes on him and he loathed it, he glanced at the script and sighed. He was to start, the scene took place at a graduation event and Sams character was confronting Denali for the first time after Denali had gotten out of hospital. He’d been in hospital because of the Florida shootings. Toshiro took a deep breath, glad they were all being patient with him. He tried to focus on Sam, how Sam would be feeling. Guilt and pain because the man he loved had been shot and somewhere deep down he blamed himself.

‘How are you feeling?’ Toshiro started, surprising himself with the genuine concern that he’d worked into his voice.

‘Better than I look.’ Came the amused reply and Toshiro resisted the urge to scowl. That was very much a Toshiro thing to do, instead he bit his lower lip softly and continued.

‘I’m so sorry,’ he whispered, his voice low but still audible, ‘you wouldn’t have been there if it hadn’t been for me and when I-‘ he hesitated and tried to focus on the guilt, ‘when I saw you in the hospital bed I didn’t know what to do.’ Toshiro felt his throat constrict. ‘I thought you were going to leave me and I couldn’t, I couldn’t live with myself if you…’ he trailed off. He’d not made eye contact with Kurosaki or anyone else while reading, his eyes focused only on the script since this was his first time reading this scene. He read ahead waiting for Kurosaki’s line but his eyes fell onto the next line of the script. [Denali silences Sam with a kiss]. WHAT? Toshiros head snapped up and Kurosaki was already in front of him. His fake brown eyes went wide as Kurosaki leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against Toshiros.

At first the young boy stood there petrified not knowing what the hell to do. The entire hall felt like it was spinning as he felt the hot lips pressing firmly against his own. His eyes were closed tightly shut and just when Kurosaki was about to pull away Toshiro got over his shock and responded by pressing his lips back. At this a strong hand came up to cup his cheek and Toshiro felt his mouth open, Kurosakis warm breath entering and his body responded by slipping his arms around the taller boys neck. Toshiro wasn’t sure how long they were like that, mouths moving against each others as he hungrily drank in every drop of breath that flowed from the older male, eventually a tongue entered his mouth tentatively and Toshiro greeted it with his own resisting the urge to moan into the kiss.   
Surely the kiss in the play was not meant to last this long nor be this heated and somewhere around him he’d become aware of wolf whistles and chants. With a chuckle Kurosaki pulled away leaving Toshiro breathless and gasping for air. There was heat rising in his cheeks and he refused to make eye contact with his friends whose wolf whistles and cheering he could still hear. Kurosaki’s eyes were full of mischief and he gazed at Toshiro with an emotion he hadn’t seen before causing the younger man to take a few steps back and bury down into his scarf once again.

‘Thank you for your audition.’ Kurosaki said, his voice was low but Toshiro could clearly hear him. ‘The results will be posted tomorrow on the notice board.’

Toshiro just wanted to get off the stage as the strawberry blond turned his back and walked over to a grinning Uryu and they spoke in low hushed tones. Toshiro scampered off the stage and made a beeline past his friends heading straight for the door. He couldn’t even look at them right now he was so embarrassed.

‘Shiro hold up!’ Rangiku sang, her voice causing him to scowl and flushing at the thought of what his friends were going to say to him and how much they were going to tease him for what just happened.

‘Good audition.’ Yukio smirked and he looked down at Toshiro trying to meet his eyes but Toshiro had taken at looking at his feet. When they were a good distance away from the auditorium Rangiku rounded on him and drew him to halt. He scowled up at her and took a few steps back. She had a look on her face that was like a cat that’d gotten _all_ the milk.

‘Did you have fun?’ She teased and he felt the colour creep back up into his face, tugging at his scarf.

‘You two did that to me on purpose! I didn’t know…’ he tried to block the mental images of being kissed by Kurosaki back, ‘that it was a kissing scene we were auditioning.’

‘It wasn’t meant to be, he choose that scene specifically for you.’ Rangiku retorted and Toshiro watched Yukio wriggle a blond eyebrow at him.

‘Why?’

‘Because he wanted to kiss you silly.’ Rangiku chuckled and waved a finger dangerously in front of his face. ‘I told you, you were adorable.’

‘You are.’ Yukio chimed in and Toshiro flushed at the compliments. Knowing in his head that Yukio wasn’t aware exactly what they were talking about.

‘See even Yukio says so, that must mean it’s true.’

‘It’s true, if we weren’t friends I’d totally be trying it on with you too.’ Rangiku laughed at his comment and she turned on the boy.

‘You two would be cute together, maybe you should try it sometime.’

‘Maybe when I’m drunk,’ he shrugged his shoulders and Toshiro just walked passed them, there wasn’t even any point in being embarrassed or offended by their chit chat because it was like this most of the time. He knew they were just teasing him.

‘What will you do if you get the part?’ Rangiku finally asked as she caught up to him again, this had been the exact same question he was asking himself over and over in his head right now.

‘Which looks probable just now due to that Oscar winning performance,’ Yukio offered and he joined them in walking on Toshiros other side.

‘I don’t know…’ he sighed. The thought of doing _anything_ in front of other people made him completely uncomfortable and yet… would it be so bad? It was 3 rather short scenes, he had no issues reading and retaining information so he’d learn the lines with ease. He’d get to work close with Kurosaki and he’d even get to kiss him again. If it weren’t for the large part of him that hated the idea of being up in front of other people then he’d have agreed right then and there but as it were he hated being the centre of any kind of attention. Toshiro had fallen into one of those thoughtful silences of his that his friends knew and they walked in silence as he thoughtfully went over the pros and cons in his mind. If he didn’t go for the part then that’d also mean letting Kurosaki down and for some reason that seemed to weigh rather heavily on the young mans small shoulders. He didn’t like the idea of letting the strawberry down despite not knowing him. Then there was the fact that he was unbelievable gorgeous and that kiss. _That kiss._ It had been perfect and Toshiro could still feel a tingle in his lips as they walked, a tingle from the warmth that the other boys mouth had provided him. He hadn’t been kissed like that in his life. Never. He knew that, that kiss would be lingering in his mind as he tried to get to sleep that night.

‘I will take tonight to think about it.’ He finally announced and his two friends nodded beside him. Feeling it was time for a change of topic Rangiku turned to Yukio.

‘So Yukio when is the Mansion Madness party happening?’ This spiked Toshiros interest and he listened intently to their conversation.

‘Well, I was thinking… same date as last year so a month away, except we’ll go with Saturday the 29th this time.’

‘Do you want me to start putting the word out? You know I’m good at that and I’ve already had a bunch of people asking me since you’re always on that damn consol.’

‘The what?’ Toshiro asked finally seeking clarification for his own knowledge.

‘Oh it’s a party that Yukio held last year when he first started here and we decided to make it a yearly thing. It was where Yukio had his run in with you know who during the 7 minutes in heaven.’ Rangikus voice was teasing as she grinned over at her blond haired friend.

‘People just look for an excuse to get plastered with alcohol and try and shag their classmates. It’s a lot of fun.’ Yukio muttered as he reminisced about the event.

‘You’re already going to be going with me Toshiro, no ducking out early and you will be drinking.’ She smiled down at him and Toshiro just sighed. He didn’t have the energy to argue back with her at the moment.

‘Fine.’


	4. Start the Party

‘You got the part!’ Rangiku squealed literally the moment his car had pulled into the car parking space. He heard her even though his door was closed and his window was up and scowled, snuggling down into his scarf for comfort. He opened the door and stepped out and she was instantly by his side vibrating with excitement.

‘You got the-‘

‘I heard you.’ He sighed and rubbed his forehead, his stomach doing flips. ‘What time did you get here?’ He scowled at her.

‘Well I got a text from Uryu last night to say that they’d stayed behind and posted the information last night at like 7pm, so I came in at 7am early this morning to find out so I could tell you.’ She was way more excited about this than him and he felt like his stomach was going to empty over the sidewalk. He tried to calm his nerves and took deep breaths.

‘Have you thought about it?’ She asked and he felt her baby blue eyes on her face.

‘Yes… I still don’t know,’ he fidgeted and she continued to watch him.

‘Okay lets lay this out, pros and cons, pro; you get to work with Ichigo.’

‘Con; I might make a fool of myself in front of Ichigo.’

‘Pro; you were the best person who auditioned so you won’t make a fool of yourself.’

‘Con; I have to kiss him on stage.’

‘Pro; you get to kiss him.’ Rangiku rebutted again and he scowled at her.

‘Con; what if I show up naked on stage?’

‘Pro; Ichigo will see how incredibly hot you are and he’ll probably have you there and then.’ He scowled at her idiocy.

‘Con; you told me on my first day to avoid the drama club and the Fresh Meat crew.’

‘Pro; if you’re with Ichigo who isn’t playing then they all lose.’

‘Con; I don’t like Kurosaki.’

‘Pro; that’s a lie and you know it.’

He scowled at her and tugged at the white fabric around his neck, she gently grabbed his arm and turned him to face her with a gentle sigh.

‘What’s really going on? I know you’re shy but you were really good Shiro. Ichigo will owe you big time for helping by playing such an important character in something that means so much to him.’

‘Rangiku I don’t even show people what I really look like.’ He reminded her, his voice quiet as he glanced around to make sure no one else could hear them. ‘And you expect me to go up on stage in front of people and play a character that has to share an on stage  _kiss._ ’ He shook his head and before he knew it she had engulfed him in a warm embrace. To avoid her large bust she’d leaned down so his head was instead buried into her neck and he could feel the masses pressing against his chest.

‘Shiro you don’t have to hide, I promise the people here will accept you for who you are.’ She whispered in his ear. He felt his body relax into the embrace and spotted a few jealous looks he was being tossed by other men walking by. Her arms pressed against his back and he squirmed out of her grasp offering her a kind smile though to show that he still appreciated the short lived gesture.

‘I know you’re not ready,’ she said raising a hand to his cheek and he leaned into her touch. ‘Just know that you’d be accepted I promise. It’s only three scenes why don’t you go along to the first two rehearsals this week  _then_ make your mind up?’ She tried to compromise and he sighed. It did make sense to at least try before completely dismissing the idea so he nodded.

‘Good.’ She dropped her hand and straightened up. ‘Now let’s go get blondie.’

 

* * *

 

 

He stood outside the door to the auditorium and tugged nervously at his scarf. He had been standing here for the last ten minutes fighting back the panic that was threatening to consume him. He could turn and run and hide in the bathroom for the next two hours. Or just go home as Rangiku and Yukio had. They weren’t allowed in to watch rehearsals anyway, only people who’d gotten parts were allowed to stay behind in the auditorium after the college was finished for the day. He took a deep steadying breath, he’d said to Rangiku he’d try so he should. He put a hand on the door and pushed it open, down on stage the other cast members had gathered and were either standing and leaning against props or the piano or sitting down on the floor / edge of the stage. He nervously walked down and his eyes flickered to Kurosaki who spotted him coming down the main isle towards the stage.

‘Toshiro you’re here!’ He called happily and his steps faltered. He could still run. He could easily out run them all even if they all gave chase. Kurosaki grinned and waved him up. That grin across his face made him look even more attractive, rows of perfectly white teeth flashing stark against his darker skin and bright strawberry blond hair. Without a conscious decision his legs were moving him towards the attractive sight and Toshiro scowled at his own bodies betrayal.

‘Yes, hello.’ He spoke shyly as he stepped up onto the stage and Kurosaki came towards him, he took a tentative step back away from the handsome boy and watched as the grin faltered on his face. He regretted it and forced his legs to walk closer to the man.

‘I’m glad you decided to go through with this.’

‘Don’t get your hopes up, I’m just going to see how this goes.’

‘I promise I’ll make it fun,’ Kurosaki smiled at him, ‘do you have your script?’

‘I don’t need it.’

‘You learned all your lines already?’ Kurosaki sounded sceptical.

‘Yes. It’s not like I have a big part, everyone just auditioned for it for a chance to kiss you.’ Toshiro scowled and nestled back into his scarf.

‘Everyone except you.’

‘I didn’t even want to audition at all.’ He frowned and crossed his arms. ‘You, Rangiku and Yukio forced me into this.’

Kurosaki just laughed and went to push him forward by his back but Toshiro walked quickly before he could reach him.

‘Most of our cast are fourth years so you know them already,’ Kurosaki waved towards Uryu, Rukia, Chad, Orihimi, Shuhei, Tatsuki and Renji. ‘However we’ve also got two third years who auditioned. This is Chizuru and that’s Mizuiro.’ He waved a hand at a tall girl with red hair and a boy with short dark hair who looked just as passive as Yukio often did. Toshiro nodded to everyone and gave Orihimi a smile he liked the girl, she was kind.

‘Ichigo are we ready to start?’

‘Yeah,’ Kurosaki left Toshiros side after giving him a small smile that sent an unusual shiver down the prodigy’s body.

‘Alright everyone we’re going to split off and read lines and practice. Rukia, Uryu and Orhimi will be assisting with offering feedback on particular scenes.’ Kurosaki instructed and Toshiro stood as everyone separated off into twos and threes to practice reading through scenes. He sighed, all his scenes were with the tall strawberry and he felt heat rise in his cheeks as he remembered the audition.

‘Sorry,’ Kurosaki laughed as he came over towards him.

‘That’s alright,’ he shuffled his feet and tugged at his scarf, god the strawberry was gorgeous. A huge part of Toshiro really hoped when rehearsing the kissing scenes they’d still actually lock lips.

‘Let’s go and rehearse in the dressing rooms,’ he winked and Toshiro felt his mouth go dry following quickly behind the taller boy off and into a side door just off the stage.

The room was lot larger than Toshiro had expected about five times the size of a regular double bedroom, along the left side there were mirrors and around 10 seats for makeup. The mirrors had lights around them that were activated with switches on the walls beside them. The painted white wood looked a little tacky but what had he expected for a drama club? His fake brown eyes travelled across the three large leather sofas that were sat in the centre of the room pointing towards a small but wide wooden table. To the far back was another door that took you out towards the emergency fire exits and there were a couple of comfortable looking chairs and a few old school desks pressed against the walls with extra seats piled high one on top of the other. To his right there was a large window that looked out to the back wall of some other part of the college. The wall was really close and he suspected that no one could walk down the centre but it was wide enough to open the window and let air circulate the room.

If he turned right and was to face the window then to the right again there was an archway that led into a shower area and bathroom section. It was designed for multiple people and both genders and seemed to have everything they needed. Kurosaki had been watching him with interest as he looked around.

‘It gets pretty warm in here so you can take off your scarf if you want,’ he asked and Toshiro just shook his head. He met those warm brown eyes with his own fake gaze and the look was thoughtful.

‘You’re very attached to it aren’t you? We’ll work something out in terms of costume then.’ He shrugged his shoulders and made his way over to one of the large leather sofas. Toshiro hesitated a moment, feeling very shy before following him.

‘You’ve not got many scenes and not many lines so let’s start at the beginning and read through them.’ Toshiro noticed that Kurosaki didn’t have his script with him either, it made sense obviously he’d wrote the thing. However to learn all those lines in such a short space of time left the genius wondering had he memorized the entire script or just the scenes between Denali and Sam?

The beautiful strawberry blond sat down on the leather sofa and Toshiro sat a comfortable distance away on the same one, glancing around nervously, he was aware that the man was studying him.

‘Renji and Shuhei were right.’ He spoke and Toshiro turned to look at him with wide confused fake brown eyes. ‘There’s something about you.’ He leaned towards the younger boy and Toshiro leaned away.

‘What?’ He squeaked.

Kurosaki just smirked at his shyness before sitting back. ‘Never mind let’s get started.’

They worked their way through their lines the first time just speaking as if they were having a casual conversation, neither boy having to look at a script and Toshiro wondered if Kurosaki was waiting for him to mess up but of course the prodigy didn’t. When it got to the last scene Toshiro felt the nerves coil and uncoil in his stomach and he clasped his hands on his lap unsure if Ichigo would kiss him again or not. Toshiro delivered his lines and watched as Kurosaki leaned over to him, the nerves turned into excited little butterflies in his stomach as the prodigy turned his head expectantly towards the strawberry. Kurosaki stopped his lips millimetres away from Toshiros own, both boys had their eyes closed.

‘Then we’d kiss,’ he breathed and Toshiro felt the hot breath blast over his face before the teasing strawberry pulled away leaving Toshiro with colour flaring into his cheeks at the playful look that was in the older boys eyes. He grinned when he saw the blush and Toshiro just scowled at him.

‘I’m very impressed you learned all those lines over night. That’s quite keen for someone who doesn’t know if they’re definitely going to be taking the role or not.’

‘Don’t flatter yourself I can read and memorise things with ease it only took me two reads.’ He worked a cold iciness into his voice that he hadn’t used since the first few days he’d spent with Rangiku.

‘Still I am impressed, flattered or not.’ He was pretty sure the tall strawberry was flirting with him but he was too shy to ask so he settled with staring at the table in front of him.

Running through the lines once more Kurosaki surprised Toshiro by laying across his lap during the second scene they did together. At first the prodigy tensed, he’d read the scene of course and it was Sam comforting Denali as the two spoke about their rising feelings for each other and keeping it a secret from Denalis father. Kurosaki lay with his eyes closed and eventually Toshiro relaxed into it as they spoke their lines.

‘My father keeps pushing me, I think he’s hoping that I can live the life he wish he had when he was younger. I’ve not even told him about you.’ Kurosaki gazed up to Toshiro and his heart fluttered at the emotions etched into his face. He was  _really_ good at acting. The look was filled with emotion, his jaw set a little with concern for his partner and his eyes worried for his response. It almost threw Toshiro a bit and he sighed and began running a hand gently through the strawberrys bright orange hair. Kurosaki couldn’t have been expecting it but he leaned into it anyway, his beautiful chocolate eyes fluttering shut at the touch. Toshiro tried to copy the movements that Rangiku had used on him that morning she’d slept at his. His small fingers buried themselves deep into his locks to lightly brush and massage the scalp and he heard Kurosaki sigh contently. 

‘We can tell him when we’re ready. I promise I won’t get mad at you if you’re not ready for people to know.’ Toshiro tried to convey several emotions in this sentence, during this scene his character wanted to comfort Denali but at the same time he was a little upset by the fact that Denali wouldn’t be completely honest about their relationship and that they could never be seen in public together. Sams character was completely out and accepted and he struggled to fathom his closeted boyfriend.

They sat in comfortable silence while Toshiros fingers continued their assault on the boys’ hair, this silence was written into the script but it stretched for a long time. Toshiro glanced down curiously at Kurosaki who seemed to be enjoying the feeling too much. It looked like the older man was dozing off to sleep. Toshiro felt warmth spread through him at the sight of the older man who had started to make small noises of sleepy content at his touch and continued his work. He wanted badly to bring a finger up and stroke across those sleepy features.

Now that he got a closer look at that man Toshiro saw that he had beautifully long dark eyelashes, flawless skin and a small cluster of faded freckles across the bridge of his nose. His eyelids fluttered and held a pale purple tinge to them that suggested he maybe hadn’t slept peacefully in a while. After a few more minutes the strawberry blonds features completely relaxed and his breathing evened out, his jaw relaxed and his lips parted slightly. Toshiro continued his movements, wanting to make sure the man was completely asleep before he’d allow himself the luxury of touching him further. After a further five minutes or so Toshiro felt it safe now that the man was asleep, he raised a tentative hand and ran his middle finger very gently across the pale purple lids. They felt a little cold to touch and Toshiro marvelled at them as his finger began to gently run down the strawberry blonds’ nose and out across the line of faint freckles that lay partly hidden against his smooth skin. Then running further down Toshiro began to trace his finger lightly over those beautiful kissable lips. He felt himself leaning down as if he were going to kiss the older man but then quickly pulled back up, removing his finger and sighing. He was stuck, trapped between the older boy and the sofa as the strawberry slept.

 

It was while they were in this state that Toshiro resolved to keep the part of Sam. The fears of being on stage ebbing away slightly as he gazed at the sleeping beauty. There was something in the innocence presented by the sleeping man that made Toshiro fonder of him and that’s when he realised for the first time in years, he had a crush. The butterflies nestled rudely in his stomach as he took a deep breath finally accepting that he had some kind of feelings for Kurosaki made the rest of the reasons he was panicking about being in the play seem miniscule. Instead what was really scaring him was if his feelings weren’t reciprocated. From the stage there was a loud bang and then a couple of screams followed by laughter that roused the sleeping boy on his lap.

Kurosaki blinked a couple of times, gazing up at Toshiro a little confused before he sat up rubbing his eyes. The entire scene was adorable as the strawberry blond clearly tried to remember where he was and what he had been doing in the few confused moments that followed being woken.

‘Toshiro?’ he asked turning to the prodigy confused and Toshiro felt colour creep into his face as he looked anywhere except at Kurosaki.

‘You fell asleep I didn’t want to wake you.’

‘How long was I asleep for?’ The older man asked running a hand down his face to try and help waken him up faster.

‘Not long maybe fifteen minutes?’

‘Why didn’t you wake me?’ He asked and Toshiro could feel his curious gaze on the side of his face. Toshiro simply shrugged his shoulders and sunk down into his scarf gazing off into the distance of the room.

‘Toshiro.’ His voice seemed closer and Toshiro turned in time to see his face moving towards his own. Fake brown eyes went wide and Toshiro froze as the boy neared him. Two inches away… an inch away… less than an inch, Toshiro closed his eyes and parted his lips ready for the contact but then a couple of people burst into the room and the two quickly pulled apart.

 _‘Ohhhh_ are we interrupting a kissing scene rehearsal?’ The teasing voice of Rukia called, ‘or are we just interrupting an actual kiss?’ Kurosaki flushed glaring at her and beside Rukia Renji scowled at them.

‘C’mon Ichigo you’re not even playing why do you get to be locked away in a room alone with him.’ It was Toshiros turn to scowl now.

‘Renji let fall one of the fake tables, scared the two third years half to death so we’ve decided to end practice early today, we’re going to hit the bars.’ Rukia smirked at Ichigo and then her smile softened at Toshiro and he felt colour creep into his face as he tugged at his scarf. ‘Do you two want to come?’

‘How about it Toshiro?’ Kurosaki asked hopefully but Toshiro shook his head.

‘No I have to get home but thank you.’ He quickly stood up and dusted himself down. Rukia and Renji left, leaving the door open as they laughed about something.

‘Is it because of your boyfriend?’ Ichigo asked watching Toshiro as he froze. Toshiro felt a cold chill sweep over him and he quickly shook his head.

‘No I just don’t have time.’

‘Won’t your boyfriend be mad about this play? About us?’

The way he said _‘us’_ made Toshiros heart skip a beat and he quickly stood up and made to leave but a firm grip encircled his arm.

‘He’s not your boyfriend anymore is he?’ Kurosaki asked, keeping his voice low so no one outside the room could hear them.

Toshiro didn’t know why but he found himself shaking his head and he broke Kurosakis hold with ease before quickly exiting the room, this time the tall strawberry made no attempt to try and come after him.

 

 

* * *

 

 

‘Okay so the rumour I heard was that Ichigo was fucking you up against the window while you were both covered in body butter and three second year students watched.’ Rangiku explained the next morning when Toshiro ran into her.

‘I heard that the second year students were taking part and it was an orgy that Renji walked in on.’ Yukio called his usually bored voice containing a slight hint of amusement as his eyes never left his consol.

‘Yes the second one is right.’ Toshiro said and watched as Yukios hands faltered on his game and the sign ‘game over’ flashed across the screen. The adorable man raised his one green eye towards Toshiro he narrowed it.

‘Just tell us what happened Toshiro,’ Rangiku asked impatiently. ‘I need to _know._ Next to you and Yukio I’m feeling so left out.’

‘Nothing happened, he was leaning in for a kiss, there’s a kiss in the play, that was it.’ Toshiro huffed throwing his hands up in a defeated gesture.

‘That’s it? Well that’s no fun.’ She pouted at him and he scowled at her.

‘I hate to disappoint.’

‘Lets just make up our own rumours instead.’ Yukio turned to Rangiku with that rare playful smirk.

‘Oh, I like this game what can we say?’ She turned to give Yukio her full attention and Toshiro felt himself snarling at his friends obvious attempts to push his buttons.

‘We could say that they were testing out a new sex swing in the dressing room,’ Yukio chuckled and Rangiku nodded her approval.

‘Oh yes and that Renji didn’t just see them he joined in.’

‘Rukia too.’

‘This could work.’

‘Shut up.’ Toshiro snapped and his two friends just chuckled quietly at him. They were sitting at the back of the Chemistry class and Professor Ukitaki was handing back papers of completed reports as the class chatted mildly around him.

‘Only one 100% in the class, think this is the first time someone has ever aced this report.’ Professor Ukitaki called above the chatter and some people turned to look at each other with interest, most ignoring him.

He stopped by their desk and handed their papers back to them, Toshiro caught a quick glance at the ‘100%’ at the top of his paper before stuffing it into his bag.

‘Okay that isn’t terrible,’ Rangiku sighed tapping her finger against the giant ‘74%’ at the top of her page. ‘What did you guys get?’

‘85%’ Yukio muttered, he hadn’t even moved his paper anywhere and had left it sitting openly on his desk as he desperately clicked on the black consol trying to complete a level.

‘Toshiro?’

‘89%’ He lied smoothly but she narrowed her eyes at him. He blinked innocently back at her.

‘You expect me to believe that you skipped all those years with grades like that.’

‘Yes…’ he squeaked but Yukio was already handing his paper over to Rangiku who raised an eyebrow at him

‘Only 89% huh?’ She asked and Toshiro turned to stare ludicrously at Yukio.

‘How’d you do that?’

‘Gamer hands,’ he held up his hands as if they were some kind of obvious magical weapon. ‘They’re good for a number of things.’

‘Is that another insight into your night with Ichigo?’ Rangiku asked and the blond boy flushed, narrowing his green eye at her.

‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’

‘I would please tell me.’

‘I’ll be taking that back now.’ Toshiro yanked his paper out of Rangikus grasp and stuffed it back into his bag as the two squabbled.

Not long after Professor Ukitaki set them about some work and they were dismissed to the library for research.

‘Toshiro!’ The prodigy recognised the voice right away and turned to see Kurosaki making his way up the corridor towards them. He gulped and tried to speed up his steps but was stopped by Rangiku who grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

‘It’s rude to run away from someone who’s calling your name.’ She scolded and Yukio turned his uncovered emerald eye on the scene with a vague amount of interest.

‘Let me go Rangiku.’ Toshiro panicked trying to jerk away and resisting the urge to _force_ her let go of him.

‘Hey Toshiro,’ Kurosaki grinned finally having caught up with them, that goofy grin on his face causing Toshiro to scowl with embarrassment as he twisted out of Rangikus hold.

‘Hello Kurosaki.’ He mumbled and glared at Yukio who was smirking at his friends obvious discomfort.

‘I know you’ve got a small part but I was wondering if you’d like to run lines with me again tomorrow night?’ He asked and Toshiro tried to ignore the euphoric smirks from his friends as he felt a heat continue to creep up his neck. He tugged at his scarf and mumbled something that went along the lines of;

‘Sure.’

‘Great, I’ll catch you in the atrium at 6 then.’ He waved them off and bounded down the corridor.

‘Is that for another shot on the swing?’ Yukio asked and Toshiro nearly punched him.

 

* * *

 ****  
  


  
Weeks ticked by much like they had been, Toshiro continued to score 100% on literally everything, so much so that Rangiku and Yukio actually let him educate them during their library visits. They realised he was so good that he could even help them ace classes he’d never attended for subjects that he didn’t study.

His rehearsals with Kurosaki had become an after school treat, while the whole of the year speculated what went on behind that closed dress room door the reality was literally the fact that they were running lines and every now and again stopped to chat about latest issues occurring on the news, Mr Ukitaki and how he was one of the best teachers ever and even lightly brushed upon the topic of ex boyfriends. Toshiro found he was growing more comfortable around the strawberry blond who – more than once – fell asleep in his lap during their rehearsals of their second scene together. Toshiro realised that one kiss on stage had been a fluke and even though he badly wanted to kiss Kurosaki again the taller man never made a move, regardless of how many times they ran through that scene.

News of Yukios party got out as Rangiku had promised and their entire fourth year was due to attend. A couple of brave third years had asked to go but had promptly been turned down and as the time of the event loomed Rangiku was itching at the idea of playing dress up with Toshiro.

‘You’re not dressing me up tonight, it isn’t happening Rangiku.’ Toshiro scowled at her for what felt like the hundredth time that week.

‘But that brown shirt you wore last time just looked so plain. _Please?’_ She threw him giant baby blue puppy dog eyes and he felt his resolve crumble.

‘What on earth would you have me wear?’

‘I think you’d look good in white or black it would match your hair.’ She gave a noticeable flick of her eyes to his hair and back again. She hadn’t forgotten but it wasn’t his white hair she was referring too, it was his brown.

‘Thank you for your recommendation but my job is to blend in remember?’

‘Says the guy who’s going to be kissing Ichigo on stage come December,’ she snorted at him and he scowled at her.

‘Children I cannot concentrate.’ Yukio sighed and thrust his consol away into his bag turning a scolding emerald eye in their direction. ‘Toshiro go with the white just to shut her up, she’s right it would look good on you and Rangiku he isn’t a doll, leave him alone.’

Only Yukio could step in and effectively end these little arguments of theirs, using his ‘dad’ tone as Rangiku called it.

‘Fine.’ Toshiro growled, ‘I’ll wear a white shirt.’ Rangiku walked around the rest of the day looking rather pleased with herself.

 

Toshiro wasn’t sure what he had been expecting when he’d been given Yukios address but it wasn’t this. He hesitated as he pulled up towards a giant property. The iron gate had been left open for the party and a bunch of fourth years had parked their cars outside the mansion. There wasn’t any other word for it, it was a mansion. The huge sandstone wall rose high enough for two floors but was wide enough to comfortably fit several large houses inside it. Toshiro parked his car which looked totally out of context next to the massive place and let out a low whistle. Money had never exactly been discussed with his friends and it was never an issue nor a priority for the boy genius’s friendship but he was still surprised he hadn’t known about this sooner. Toshiro chuckled; the name of the party he just assumed was a name he didn’t think the ‘mansion’ part literally meant a mansion.

‘Oh good you’re here.’ Toshiro turned around and spotted Rangiku walking up to him waving her hand and smiling. She’d gone with a slightly more classy long floral dress that actually hid her bust better than most would have yet was dark enough in colour to make her strawberry hair stand out.

‘I’m confused,’ Toshiro muttered indicating to the giant house behind him. ‘Didn’t Yukio and Chad say they were neighbours?’

‘Yeah Chad lives over there,’ she turned and pointed to flats that were directly across the road in the distance.

‘As close to a neighbour as you can get given this is your home,’ came a bored voice and Toshiro turned around to see his friend. He had to admit the boy dressed well, like something straight out of an 1920’s movie he wore a pinstripe suit jacket over a plain white shirt with his black newsboy cap still perched atop his blond locks.

‘You wore white.’

‘You wore your hat.’

‘Aww you noticed Shiro.’

‘Don’t call me that.’ Toshiro grinned at the blond who chuckled and stepped aside to let them in.

‘Giriko the butler is in the working quarters if we need anything urgently but other than that we’re completely alone just like last year.’ He sighed sounding rather bored but Rangiku just smiled and buzzed excitedly.

‘So where exactly is the party stuff happening do you have a grand ball room?’ Toshiro teased his friend who turned a lazy green eye at him and retorted.

‘As if we’re having this party in the main house, my parents would freak, no we’re having it in my living quarters in the basement.’ Toshiro was a bit surprised that he stayed in the basement… that was until he _saw_ the basement. The entrance that they took was through a small library, there was a door set behind… that’s right _behind_ a bookcase that lead them down stairs and into a much more cosily dimly light room. The room reminded Toshiro of a 1920’s bar, as soon as they came down the stairs to the left there was a massive bar filled with all kinds of liquor and to the right there were three massive sofas each pointing at a TV that took up nearly the entire wall. There were a few bar looking booths and to the far end of the room was a pool table. Beyond that there was a circular hallway that led onto a couple of different doors.

‘Ah this brings back memories.’ Rangiku chimed happily as she made her way towards the bar. Renji was behind it helping himself to stuff and offered to pour them a drink. He’d need to drink a lot to survive this evening.

‘A round of sambucca shots to get us started Renji and some long vodkas.’ Rangiku ordered again and Toshiro was getting flash backs to the drinks they’d had at the bar.

He took the sambucca and downed it with Rangiku and Yukio loyally at his side, shivering as the alcohol hit his system. Another few shots of that and he’d be limbless the rest of the evening.

‘Toshiro,’ the young prodigy stirred and turned to see Kurosaki coming towards him with a massive grin. Toshiro gulped, the man had chosen this time to wear a black shirt that he’d unbuttoned the first three buttons of and Toshiros eyes danced across the flesh of his exposed chest he could see. The dark colour made his strawberry blond hair stand out and instinctively Toshiros hand shot for his scarf that wasn’t there.

‘You’re not wearing your scarf.’ Kurosaki pointed out as if noticing the movement that the smaller boy made and Toshiro sighed. At least his feet felt more firmly planted on the ground, perhaps that was due to all the extra time he’d spent in Kurosakis company.

‘Very astute.’ Toshiro mocked and the strawberry blond grinned more broadly, he turned to Yukio and smiled kindly at the boy. ‘Thanks for the invite, I think the guys are wanting to recreate the eventful moments of last year by playing 7 minutes in heaven again.’ He laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his hair with his hand.

‘Alright we’ll join you all after another round of drinks and after I show Toshiro around.’ Yukio shrugged and with another smile at Toshiro Kurosaki left to go sit with his other friends.

‘He likes you.’ Rangiku whispered into Toshiros ear and he flushed a deep pink, making him look much younger against the white of his shirt.

Yukio showed him around, the rounded hallway split off into 4 rooms, 3 were bedrooms (one was Yukios own personal bedroom) and they nearly all had en suit bathrooms and 1 was a massive games room with just about every kind of consol and game known to man.

Between two doors on the opposite side of the wall was another hallway that slanted up that lead out into the back garden. Yukio had opened the door and propped it open to help the air circulate down to the bar room since they were in the basement apparently things could get a little ‘heated.’

During their tour the three friends had managed to finish their first round of drinks and quickly made their second round with more shots.

‘We’ll do this then get ready for the game.’ Rangiku sighed happily, the alcohol already showing a fine line of pink across her cheeks. Toshiro knew he was the same and he could feel the heat that sat comfortably across his cheekbones. Yukio was hard to see since his blond hair covered most of his face but Toshiro was sure the alcohol had started to affect the other boy too.   
Soon Renji and Shuhei had called for everyones attention and they were grinning from ear to ear. Everyone perched themselves on the sofas and the two boys stood in front of the TV an empty vodka bottle placed on the table in front of them.

‘Everyone try and get yourself in a circle as much as you possibly can. So if the bottle lands on you it’s obvious.’ Everyone shuffled about to space out, some standing and some sitting. Toshiro was perched awkwardly on the arm rest of one of the sofas beside Rangiku, the front of his right shoe brushing the floor barely from his perch.

‘Alright here are the rules, we’ve changed it a bit to make it a bit more interesting. There will be a dominant and a submissive. The submissive will be spun for on the first spin of the bottle and the dominant will be picked after. The submissive must do whatever the dominant wants in the room for the allocated amount of time. Since you don’t always feel like getting physical it can also mean the dominant gets to ask the submissive any questions they want but the information shared should remain between the two of them only, same with anything that happens in the room once the doors are closed.’ Shuhei announced and there was a nod of approval from several people and grins around the circle. Toshiro felt the nerves get the better of him.

‘There are 3 bedrooms down here so that means 3 couples will be sent off at any one time together and we’ve increased the time from seven minutes to fifteen.’ There were some cheers around the room and some chants and Toshiro felt himself internally groan, he quickly tried to throw back as much of his drink as he could. The only way this would get better is if he got plastered.

‘Okay everyone ready for the first round?’ Renji spun the bottle and on its first land pointed towards Chad, ‘alright Chad you’re the submissive.’ They spun again and Chad was paired up with Tatsuki and they were sent off to ‘room 1’ while the bottle was spun again. First spin it landed on Ikkaku and on the second spin it landed on Yumichika and there was a round of giggling and hushed mutterings as the two men headed off to room 2 together. Toshiro was feeling good, there were so many people here and he could maybe avoid ever being picked all night.

Renji leaned forward and span the bottle and Toshiro felt his resolve shatter when it pointed straight at him. Everyone’s eyes were on him.

‘Toshiro you’re to be the submissive.’ Shuhei smirked and there was an excited atmosphere at who could be getting chosen next. Toshiro prayed… PRAYED that it would be Kurosaki, please let it be Kurosaki. He was dreading the thought of it being one of the other members of the Fresh Meat club. The bottle began to slow and then there was a moments pause at the unusual match up when the bottle pointed straight at Yukio.


	5. The Reveal

Toshiro was quite pleased, it could have been a lot worse than to end up in a locked room with his friend for 15 minutes. He shuddered as he thought about what would have happened if it had been Renji or Shuhei who had been selected as the dominant. Toshiros little shudder didn’t go unnoticed by the blond boy who sat on the edge of the bed and quirked a blond brow at him.

‘Nothing, just thinking what would have happened if it was Renji or Shuhei instead of you,’ he muttered and reached up to tug at his scarf before remembering it wasn’t there and instead tugged at his collar of his shirt. His movements didn’t go unnoticed by his friend who watched him curiously with his emerald eye.

‘You don’t think anything will happen because it’s me?’ The boy asked and Toshiro gave a nervous laugh. Wait was he being serious? It was often hard to tell when the boy was being sarcastic or not. He continued to stare at Toshiro with that deadpan expression of his he was so famous for.

‘Well, what did you have in mind?’ Toshiro asked, trying to make his voice sound playful but he was struggling against his elevated heart rate that the alcohol was comfortably trying to numb. Yukio leaned back on the bed with his elbows propping him up, a dramatically thoughtful expression on his face as he stared off.

‘Hmmm… when did you first have sex?’ He asked and Toshiro snorted shyly.

‘When I was 15, what about you?’

‘No, no, I’m the dominant, you answer my questions only.’ That rare smirk appeared for a moment on his face and Toshiro scowled at him as he returned to his thoughtful face. ‘Alright, how many people have you been with and what were their genders?’

‘What’s with this interrogation?’ Toshiro threw his hands up in the air an embarrassed flush mixing with the flush from the alcohol across his face.

‘You’re not a very open person this may be my only chance to learn something personal about you.’ Yukio shrugged his shoulders innocently.

‘Fine. I’ve only been with one guy that’s it.’ Toshiro scowled and looked down at the floor.

‘How long were you two together?’

‘Please, I’d rather we did something physical than you asked me all these questions.’ Toshiro shuffled as he leaned against the door to the room.

‘Alright,’ Yukio lifted a hand and beckoned the younger man forward with his index finger. Toshiro raised an inquisitive brow at his friend but removed himself obediently away from the door and towards him. Toshiro climbed onto his lap on the bed straddling him their faces about two feet away from each other as Yukio was still leaned back on his elbows.

Toshiro wasn’t exactly disliking the closeness, he was very good friends with Yukio and he had even begun to debate about telling the boy about his disguise. Rangiku kept encouraging him to do this too as she wanted the three of them to be able to hang out and see the ‘cutie Shiro’ as she put it. That was what she called him whenever she came over and he had his white hair and teal eyes uncovered. Thanks to his closeness with Kurosaki while rehearsing lines Toshiro had started to resist the urges to look away when he got too close to someone for fear of them seeing his real eyes through the contact lenses. Yukio was looking at him with an amused looking expression and Toshiro felt his body move under him as the boy sat up.

This was the closest he had ever been to his friend and he inhaled his scent deeply, the boy carried an unusual aroma, Toshiro could smell the alcohol they’d been consuming but also the lavender from either his shampoo or his washing powder, either way the smell was rich and enticing. While he sat perched on his friends lap their faces naturally began to close the distance, both boys being drawn into each other and eyes fluttering shut, soon Toshiro felt his friends’ lips pressing gently against his own.

Though Toshiro knew the kiss was happening and certainly the alcohol had pushed him into thinking it was a good idea, somewhere in his mind he was a little shocked that this was happening. He liked Kurosaki so why was he kissing his friend? _It’s an experiment._ A small voice seemed to call from the back of his brain, the voice was slurred and clearly drunk but Toshiro just decided to enjoy his new position anyway. The blond boys’ lips tasted of alcohol and Toshiro slipped his tongue out across his lower lip to lap at the taste, this earned an approving grunt from the older male. He was aware his friends hand had now began to gently run up and down his thigh as they began to move their mouths against each other. Opening and closing their lips and Toshiro whimpered into the kiss as his friends hand glided dangerously close to the clothed half erection he was now sporting. The kiss broke and the two boys sat catching their breath for a few short seconds before Toshiro met his friends’ eye. What the hell were they doing?

‘One last personal question just because I’m curious… but I think I already know the answer.’ Yukio asked, his voice a little huskier than it had been before as his hand continued its assault on Toshiros thigh.

‘Oh yeah? What is it?’ Toshiro mumbled his eyes fluttering shut at their proximity.

‘Are you a top or bottom?’

‘Bottom.’ Toshiro opened his eyes and saw a rare grin flash across his friends face.

‘I knew it,’ he mumbled as he leaned forward and began to kiss under Toshiros jaw. Toshiro tilted his head back to expose his neck and Yukio laid tentative kisses across the usually covered flesh.

‘You?’ Toshiro asked, trying to keep his voice steady as he threatened to pant.

‘I prefer being bottom but I can go either.’ He muttered against Toshiros’ neck and Toshiro tried to keep his thoughts coherent and clean but nearly lost it when that teasing hand finally brushed over his clothed arousal. Yukio hummed happily against Toshiros neck and the prodigy felt a shiver run down his spine. Then Yukio began to move his hips, effectively grinding against Toshiros ass at the same time his kisses turned to very light sucks and nips on his neck. Toshiro groaned and before he knew it his hips were moving back, desperate for friction against his hardened member. Yukios hands made their way around to clutch at Toshiros backside and gave it a gentle squeeze and then there was a fog horn sounding outside that caused both boys to jump.

‘TIMES UP!’ Someone called, likely Renji and the two friends broke apart. Toshiro didn’t even know what to say; friends weren’t meant to do things like that together were they? He didn’t have feelings for Yukio and yet that closeness had felt… _so good._ Luckily Toshiro didn’t need to come up with anything coherent to say because Yukio spoke for him.

‘Well that was fun,’ he chuckled letting Toshiro slide from his lap and standing up. ‘You’re a very good kisser,’ he mused with a small smile.

‘T-Thank you,’ Toshiro shuffled and nodded back to him, ‘you too, that was odd we’re meant to be friends.’ He couldn’t stop the nervous chuckle that came from him as the two boys went and opened the door to the rounded hallway.

‘Wait you’ve never kissed any of your friends before?’ Yukio sounded surprised and Toshiro blinked at him. There was the fact that he didn’t have any friends before the two so he just shook his head.

‘Oh wow, that’s just like a common thing we seem to do around here.’ Yukio shrugged his shoulders, his entire demeanour returning to his usual deadpan and lazy essence that it usually held.

‘Wait you’ve kissed Rangiku?’ Toshiro asked genuinely surprised as they waited in the rounded hall for the other couples to finish emerging from their rooms.

‘Yeah, loads of times, she’s actually a really good kisser too.’ He shrugged his shoulders again and allowed a further explanation as Toshiro stared at him confused, ‘ya know if we’re out together and guys start hitting on her I just pretend to be her boyfriend and vice versa.’

Toshiro couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of the two of them dating it looked so ludicrous in his head, Rangiku was well over a head taller than him not to mention there was something so fundamentally gay looking about Yukio that it just didn’t seem to add up. Yukio watched Toshiro laughing with an amused expression himself, when they finally heard the last door open and Yumichika and Ikkaku spilled out looking flushed and ruffled.

Yukio and Toshiro shared and a look and a knowing grin before following the others back through to where everyone was sat. Even though the rules of the game stated that nothing was meant to be discussed everyone started to bombard the couples with questions they finally arrived back. Thankfully both Toshiro and Yukio were masters of the stoic expression and just shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads as their friends pressed them. Most of the focus seemed to be on Yumichika and Ikkaku anyway so the horny friends went undetected.

Renji and Shuhei called everyones attention and they all spread out once again around the empty vodka table, another round was spun for and the pairs were matched up; Nemu and Renji, Shuhei and Rukia and Tatsuki and Orihime. As the pairs went off and the 15 minute timer was set the rest of the group chatted away. Toshiro and Yukio went to get more alcohol, Toshiro hopped up onto one of the bar stools since he could barely see over it while just standing and Yukio surprised him by agilely and gracefully leaping over the bar and landing smoothly on his feet like he’d done it a million times before. The blood haired boy pulled out an expensive looking cocktail shaker. He turned to Toshiro with a towel clutched in his hands and leaned across the bar.

‘What will it be?’ He asked role-playing the part of a bartender very well.

‘Hmmm,’ Toshiro grinned, ‘let’s go with a mojito?’ The blond boy grunted his approval and set about measuring out white rum and lime juice. While the two were at the bar Rangiku and Kurosaki wandered over together.

‘What happened then?’ Rangiku questioned lowering her voice to her friends and Kurosaki glanced behind them to ensure no one else was listening.

‘Nothing, he just asked me some _very_ personal questions.’ Toshiro threw a glare at his blond friend as he stood mixing the ingredients in his cocktail shaker with ease.  

‘What kind of personal questions?’ Rangiku looked right at Toshiro and he knew where her thoughts were going and he shook his head. She was wondering if Yukio now knew about his little disguise.

‘Just things like who he’d slept with, what age he was when he had sex, all that boring stuff.’ Yukio began pouring the contents of the cocktail shaker out into tall glasses filled with ice and set about adding segments of mint leaves into each glass before pushing all four of them a glass each.  

‘Ohhh I don’t even know any of that.’ Rangiku pouted and looked sadly at Toshiro who just simply shrugged his shoulders.

‘Sorry but what happens in the room stays in the room.’

‘So no kissing or touching then?’ Kurosaki pressed and Toshiro quickly looked away, Yukio just shook his head innocently.

‘No, he’s my friend.’

‘I know that’s what worries me I’ve seen what you and Rangiku can get up to.’ Kurosaki commented.

‘Why would you be worried Ichigo?’ Rangiku pressed leaning across the table to gaze intently at him. ‘Why would you be worried about the prospect of someone else kissing our little Shiro?’

The usual round of ‘don’t call me that’ was lost as Toshiro joined his two friends in gazing at Kurosaki as they waited for an answer. He seemed to have realised he’d made an error in his wording and colour began to rise across those beautiful cheeks of his.

‘Because I don’t need him getting distracted from the play,’ he offered up pathetically, ‘if he gets a boyfriend that means less time spent practicing.’

‘He has a boyfriend-‘ Rangiku started but Toshiro shook his head at her.

‘He knows,’ he muttered and the four of them dropped their voices as they discussed, ‘he knows that Ichimaru and I are no longer dating.’

‘I understand why you said it though to get rid of the whole Fresh Meat game gang.’

‘That included you too once Ichigo or have you forgotten?’ Yukio pointed out and Kurosaki chuckled at him.

‘No believe me I’ve not forgotten.’

‘Good.’

Toshiro glanced between the two of them, neither boy was looking at the other and instead they were both taking large gulps of alcohol. Sighing, Toshiro decided to join them and nearly downed half of the well made mojito in one go. Looking rather impressed at Toshiros guzzling Yukio busied himself once again behind the bar, this time pulling out four shot glasses and lining them up, he pulled a bottle of sambucca off the shelf and surprised everyone by spinning and tossing it then pouring all four shots with a flourish that had even Rangiku squealing with delight. The shots were passed out and all four of the friends threw them back with ease.

Not long after this the ridiculous fog horn sounded and the couples returned and the four grabbed their cocktails and headed back to sit down. Once again Renji reached across the table and unleashed the bottle. Toshiro still felt a small amount of butterflies every time the tip of the bottle passed over him. God he hoped to be avoided. The bottle spun and then landed on Uryu and there were a couple of chuckles around the table as the tall man pushed his glasses up his nose with a middle finger. The bottle was then spun again and everyone awaited eagerly for it to stop and it slowed to land on Orihime.

‘First pair chosen, submissive is Uryu and dominant is Orihime.’ Shuhei recapped and then Renji grabbed the bottle and spun it again, Toshiro tensed thinking it was about to land on him but last moment slipped past him and fell right onto Yukio. Toshiro couldn’t help but turn to his friend with a grin.

‘Oh submissive this time Yukio, is this bringing back memories?’ Renji teased as he span the bottle again. Yukio simply looked bored as the bottle spun around but tensed when he saw who it landed on.

 _‘Finally.’_ Rangiku stood up towering over her small friend who scowled up at her. ‘And I know _exactly_ what questions I’m going to be asking you.’ She smirked, a glint in her eye. Toshiro chuckled he would have to ask her for the details later since she was no doubt going to be asking all about what happened between Yukio and Kurosaki last year. She sprung off the sofa and grabbed Yukio by the scruff of his clothing as the boy tried to scamper off. Everyone was too busy laughing at the scene that when the bottle stopped, Toshiro almost hadn’t realised he’d been chosen again. He sighed as his heart sunk. Submissive and this time it wouldn’t be with one of his friends because they’d both already been chosen for each other. The bottle was spun again and his heart leapt into his throat when it slowed down and pointed directly at a broadly grinning _Kurosaki._

There was a beat of silence that hushed around the room as everyone stared between Toshiro and the damn strawberry, even Rangiku had paused in her attempts to yank Yukio into a room to gaze with amusement between the two. The older boy stood up and ushered for Toshiro to follow him as the whole room erupted into wolf whistles and cheers of; ‘go get ‘im tigers.’

Toshiro followed quickly behind him not making eye contact with anyone as he rounded a corner and into a room. Kurosaki closed the door behind them and Toshiro heard him turn the lock on the door with a ‘click’. The room boasted a light violet feature wall against three pale grey walls. A king sized bed with black sheets was sitting boisterously in the middle of the large space and there was desk with maths papers skewed across it. 

Toshiro tried to stop panic rising in him, the nervous energy and excitement was enough to be contending with in his alcoholic abused state without the need for any other kind of overwhelming emotions. Toshiro was only half aware that they must have been in Yukios room since this one looked more lived in but as he turned to examine it Kurosaki was on him. Pressing him up against the back wall of the room – which he’d backed him into – the tall strawberry looked at Toshiro with lustful eyes.

‘Finally,’ he breathed against Toshiros lips and he closed his eyes. Then hot lips were pressing against his own, moving with urgency that Toshiro hadn’t experienced before. The feeling caught the boy off guard as he pressed his body up against the wall, Kurosaki wasn’t wasting any time and Toshiro felt him draw his lower lip into his mouth and bite it gently. With whimper Toshiro pushed their lips together again and Kurosaki was making _amazing_ sounds. Sounds that made Toshiro want to have the man undressed and on the floor of the room that instant. The strawberry blonds tongue soon entered his mouth and Toshiro could taste the mojito in his breath as he moaned into the kiss. Toshiro hadn’t even been aware that the mans hand had slipped down the waistband of his jeans and into his boxers until he felt fingers gently closed around his hardening length.

 _‘Fuck,’_ Toshiro whimpered as the mans expert hands began to move, his other hand popping open buttons to allow more room for him to play with. Toshiro broke the kiss, his entire head swimming with want and pressed his eyes tightly closed as he tried to comprehend what exactly was happening through his drunken haze. He made the mistake of leaning his head back against the wall and exposing his neck which Kurosaki took no time at all in attacking. His mouth moved with urgency that Yukios hadn’t had. His sucks were harder and his kisses were more firm and _fuckkkkkk_ his hand continued to stroke him. Toshiro tried to bring his hands up to fiddle with the buttons on Kurosakis trousers but his hand was swatted away. The strawberry blond pulled away from him and he grinned at the younger boy letting go of his erection – which was still contained in his boxers – and meeting his eyes.

‘I’m the dominant don’t forget.’ He grinned and leaned back in to plant a tender kiss on Toshiros lips, his hand slipped under his shirt and lightly across his back and he froze. Toshiro froze and then quickly reached around to pull the boys hand out.

‘Toshiro?’ Kurosaki asked his voice confused as Toshiro slipped away from the older man and quickly buttoned back up his jeans. ‘Toshiro what was that?’

‘What?’

‘Your back, let me see your back.’

Toshiro straightened up and turned to face him, a deep frown on his face as the heat of the moment passed.

‘No.’

‘Toshiro.’ The voice was warning him now and Kurosaki stood his eyes flashing dangerously and Toshiro sunk away from the glare the boy now sent him. ‘Let me see your back.’ His voice was so authoritative and so demanding that Toshiro faltered. He didn’t want to play this game anymore, but the alcohol was mudding his thoughts. He was over it. He was over everything that had happened to him two years ago. However he knew that if he were to get close to someone else, if anything were to happen that there’d come a time he’d have to talk about it. Kurosaki watched as Toshiro stood panicking in the middle of the room, his hand instinctively going for his scarf which still wasn’t there and he scowled. Then Kurosaki’s voice lowered and his eyes filled with concern.

‘Please Toshiro.’

Toshiro whimpered turning around to lean against the desk, one hand clamping it for support, more emotional support than physical and his other small shaking hand rose around his back and lifted his shirt up a little. He heard the intake of breath and Kurosaki was suddenly behind him, pushing his shirt further up his back and he felt the strawberrys gentle fingers trace across the hundreds of scars that laced his back.

‘What the…’ Kurosakis voice whispered, ‘who did this to you?’

‘My ex Ichimaru,’ Toshiros voice was so quiet that he was surprised Kurosaki had even heard him. ‘He used to whip me….’

The strawberrys fingers traced the pink scars and raised bumps of the sensitive flesh and Toshiro tried to cringe away from the touch but the strawberry held him in place.

‘Why didn’t you call the police?’ The older boys voice sounded like he was in pain and Toshiro shook his head.

‘I’m over it; it happened so long ago it’s just not nice to look at.’ He tried to lower his shirt but Kurosaki wouldn’t let him. Instead the tall strawberry bent down and pressed his lips against Toshiros back. The sensation was so exotic and unlike anything that the young prodigy had ever experienced. It was tender and caring and it confused him and comforted him at the same time.

‘If it’s part of you, it’s nice to look at.’ Ichigo muttered against the skin before helping Toshiro lower his shirt over it, he spun the boy around and Toshiro met those chocolate eyes. ‘If I ever meet this ex of yours, I’m going to break his fucking face.’ He spoke with a voice that was so full of promise that Toshiro just smiled sheepishly.

‘I already got to him.’ He muttered, ‘eventually I snapped, I broke three of his ribs and his left arm. Think I maybe got some other bones too, can’t be too sure.’ He shrugged his small shoulders and looked down at the floor, and then Ichigo had engulfed him in a warm embrace, arms wrapping carefully around his back to pull him against his chest.

‘Number one: you’re fucking terrifying, number two; is that why you came to our college?’ He asked and Toshiro nodded into his chest.

‘This ex of yours sounds like he was possessive.’ Kurosaki snarled the sentence and tightened his grip on the smaller man, Toshiro felt a warmth pass through him. Since he’d taken the role of Sam he’d wanted Kurosaki to cuddle him like this, to be able to inhale his masculine scent so deeply and have him hold him just as he was doing now. It was an unusual feeling because he also felt like the strawberry was a friend to him now too. However a boyfriend couldn’t be a friend too could they?

‘He wasn’t possessive, he just liked to hurt me since no one else wanted me.’ The words were flying from his mouth as the alcohol made his lips move without his coherent consent.

‘No one else wanted you? I find that impossible to believe.’ He retorted and they stood embracing for the rest of their time and when the fog horn sounded they’d been expecting it. Kurosaki sighed and pulled away from Toshiro. ‘Would you come and stay at mine after the party tonight?’

Toshiro felt his stomach flip and he pressed the palms of his hands together nervously as his eyes went wide.

‘W-why?’ He squeaked looking at Kurosaki.

‘Because I want to treat you right, I won’t do anything you don’t want to do but I want to make you feel good.’ He moved over and brushed a finger against Toshiros flushing cheeks as he leaned down to capture his lips in a gentle kiss that made Toshiro melt with warmth.

‘I can’t,’ he breathed back, ‘I really want too but I can’t.’

‘At least think about it the rest of the night, I won’t pressure you but I promise I’ll make you happy.’ Kurosaki gently ran a hand up and down Toshiros arm and the younger boy felt colour creep into his cheeks.

‘I’ll think about it.’ He promised emptily, if he hadn’t exposed himself to Yukio yet there was no way he’d do it to Kurosaki first.

Someone rapped on their door with a snigger.

‘Oi you two stop shagging and get out here.’ Kurosaki growled and walked forward unlocking the door and yanking it open. Renji and Shuhei were standing outside and they peered into the room with a disappointed look on their faces.

‘We weren’t shagging.’ The drama club leader snarled at them and they backed away from the door. Kurosaki straightened up and turned to Toshiro waiting, the prodigies little legs decided to continue working and moved him forward and out the room as the door shut behind them. Toshiro walked past the two and towards the main room where everyone was sitting and he turned in time to see Rangiku and Yukio exiting their chosen room. She looked very satisfied and Yukio had a scowl etched onto his face. The moment looked incredibly hilarious as Rangiku strutted around with the new knowledge she now possessed and made her way towards him. Toshiro was turned towards her when he heard _his_ sneer.

‘What’s this Angel?’

His entire body went rigid. Frozen. Eyes going wide as his head snapped around and his voice caught in his throat. Standing just beside the bar, leaning against it like he belonged there was Ichimaru. His entire body was relaxed but his face held that unusual sneering grin, hair pushed back away from his closed over eyes which had briefly opened to take in the sight of Toshiro with brown hair and brown eyes. Toshiro noticed that he looked thinner than when he’d last seen him, more lean and his face was almost sunken in giving him an even more sickly look.

The mans long legs kicked him off the bar and Toshiro realised he was flanked by his two friends Azien and Kusaka. Someone had clearly given Ichimaru a drink and Toshiro whimpered confused, who the hell had invited him?

‘I invited your boyfriend for you Toshiro,’ Renji called happily from the background and Toshiro scowled. He’d been foolish to believe that none of his fellow fourth years would know Ichimaru through their own means, that thought never crossed his mind when he decided to proclaim the man was his partner when they were at the bar.

‘What’s this Angel?’ Ichimaru sneered again as he approached Toshiro.

‘What do you mean?’ Toshiro whimpered, wondering where Kurosaki had wandered off to.

‘Brown hair, since when did yeh have brown hair?’ Ichimaru chuckled, ‘an’ brown eyes? Wha’ on earth is this about?’

Toshiro was frozen as they walked over to him, fear and panic rising through his body as he willed his feet to move, to run. Everyone in the room had gone silent watching and listening to the exchange, probably wondering what the hell he was talking about.

‘Toshiro _run!’_ Rangikus voice sounded too late and Toshiro felt an iron grip clamp around his throat and shove him roughly against the wall, the pain of being slammed into the wall with his sensitive back causing him to cry out.

‘Let him go!’ Shuhei and Renji and a number of other startled adults in the room were suddenly circling them.

‘Ne, he’s been lyin’ tae ye.’ Ichimaru snarled and the others froze, listening, ‘isn’t tha’ right Angel?’ He lifted the glass of alcohol in his other hand Toshiro only realised a split second too late what was happening when the alcohol was stinging his eyes. Toshiro snarled and gasped.

‘It’s a wig, he’s not dyed it.’ Kusaka hissed his voice full of amusement from the side and Toshiro heard Rangiku and Yukio push forward towards them only to be stopped no doubt by Ichimarus two buddies. Toshiro couldn’t see what was happening the alcohol was burning his eyes and blurring his vision, mixing with the contact lenses. Then he felt a rough hand rip the wig from his head in one solid move, ripping strands of his delicate white hair under it as it ripped off. A scream gurgled in his throat and he heard several startled and audible gasps from his fellow classmates.

‘His hairs _white?’_

‘White hair!’

‘What the fuck!?’

Then Toshiro heard another familiar voice.

‘Are you Ichimaru?’ It was Kurosaki and he sounded livid.

‘So wha’ if ah am?’   
_Crack._ Then everything happened so fast, Toshiro was dropped to the floor his blurry vision opening for an instant as he tried to collect himself. It seemed everyone had moved now and were seizing Ichimaru and the others. Toshiro felt strong and comforting hands grip his arms and pull him, he didn’t need to be able to see to know the first warm and tender hand belonged to Rangiku and the second smaller and more skilled hand belonged to Yukio.

‘Take the contacts out quick Toshiro.’ Rangiku called, her voice laced with concern as the scuffle continued in the background. Without thinking too hard about it he tilted his head back and quickly removed the first contact lens followed by the second. Instantly his eyes felt better even though they were still stinging from the alcohol.

He blinked his blurry vision and he saw that the three sources of his nightmares were being held by the rest of the fourth year class. Ichimaru was being restrained by Uryu and Tatsuki, Aizen was being restrained by Chad and Shuhei and Kusaka was being restrained by Ikkaku and Renji.

‘Ne, ye’ll always belong tae me because nae one else will want ye.’ Ichimaru spat at Toshiro and for the first time Toshiro stood tall, he straightened up and marched forward towards the boy whose nose had been smashed all over his face – likely as a result of Kurosaki.

‘No shut up and listen.’ Toshiro snarled at him, ‘I was with you once Ichimaru and you ruined it, maybe there was a time that the hurt and fear you installed in me ruled my life but it doesn’t anymore.’

‘Is tha’ why ye were wearin’ a disguise then Angel?’ He mocked as he pushed forward to try and get a closer look at the boy, Toshiro scowled at the pet name. He’d been given it because of his blindingly white hair and he always loathed it.

‘I wore a disguise because you had me believe I’d never be able to have friends who’d accept me well guess what I’ve found them. You abused me and hurt me and…’ Toshiros voice was cracking, he didn’t want to do this in front of everyone he didn’t want everyone to know all the personal things about him but he needed this chapter to be closed so his new ones could begin. ‘You made me believe no one would ever want me or accept me, you broke me down piece by piece in the hopes I’d never be able to rebuild myself but I have.’

‘Are yeh done now Angel?’

‘One last thing.’ Toshiro drew his fist back and slammed it hard into the side of Ichimarus jaw, there was a definitive _crack_ as his jaw went slack and Toshiro turned on his heel without looking at anyone and ran for the back door.

 

* * *

 

 

The cold night air felt good against the heat of his face, the alcohol bubbled at the back of his throat and his eyes stung with what had just happened. He knew he wouldn’t be out here alone for much longer and soon enough he heard footsteps coming outside. He’d run out the open door that Yukio had propped open to let the air circulate down into the basement. The decking he’d run out onto was wide and at the edges rose a wood railing with one opening to allow you to walk out onto the grass of the massive back garden. Toshiro was fighting back tears and drinking in deep breaths of the cool evening air when he finally turned around to see who had followed him out onto the wood decking. Rangiku was walking towards him closely followed by Kurosaki and Yukio, the girl opened her arms and looked like she was about to engulf him in a hug but he leapt away from her. He was only just holding himself together and he knew if she hugged him that’d send him crashing over the edge. It was easier to hold yourself together than it was to break apart and try and rebuild.

‘Please don’t,’ he moaned and she lowered her arms, ‘I know I’ll breakdown if you do just give me a moment to compose myself.’ He took deeper lung fills of air and placed a small hand on the wood railing to keep him steady. Soon another set of footsteps made their way to him and he opened his blurry eyes to see Yukio offering him a wet towel. He took it appreciatively and used it to try and wipe at his eyes. The stinging alcohol had dimmed into a dull throbbing but the cool towel was welcomed against them. His three friends gave him space and no one said a single word as Toshiro enjoyed the coolness of the towel against his eyes.

Once he felt calmer he removed the towel and set it over the wooden railing that he was leaning against. His vision was less blurred but he was sure his eyes would still be bloodshot. He gazed between the three of them, Rangiku was watching him intently with a face full of motherly concern. Yukio’s one green eye that shone out from under the mass of blond hair was inquisitive and worried and Kurosaki looked like he had a million emotions crossing his face and wasn’t sure which one he wanted to roll with.

‘I’m sorry.’ Toshiro started not really sure what else to say, ‘sorry about everything.’

‘You have nothing to be sorry for.’ Rangiku said firmly and Yukio nodded beside her.

‘I lied to you, Ichimaru made me feel like no one would accept me for looking like this. He had me convinced the only person who could ever love me or care about me was him and I believed him.’

‘Him the only one?’ Toshiros head snapped up and he saw Kurosaki crossing the decking towards him, the young white haired prodigy tried to back up and scamper away but Kurosakis arms encircled him and pulled him close. Toshiro tried to push free but Ichigo was having none of it and eventually Toshiro shyly looked up into those warm chocolate eyes.

‘My god you’re gorgeous.’ Kurosaki let out a breath as if he had been holding it and somewhere behind him Toshiro could hear Rangiku.

_‘I told you!’_

‘No I’m not, I’m a freak.’ He tried to struggle free of the hold but Kurosaki growled at him and he obediently went limp in his arms. ‘Look at me.’ The strawberry muttered and Toshiro once again did as he was told, raising teal eyes up to his own and Kurosaki breathed out, his eyes becoming half lidded and he pressed his forehead against Toshiros. ‘I have a theory…’ he murmured and the young prodigy gulped deeply. He didn’t want to discuss theories he wanted to kiss the taller boy and grind against him and allow himself a chance at forgetting this whole night ever existed.

‘Mmm?’

‘I think Ichimaru did all those things to you to make you feel secluded so that he could have you all to himself. The reason he did so was because he was so driven by lust for you that he couldn’t stand the thought of you being with anyone else, even as a friend.’

The embrace Kurosaki held him in was gentle and comforting and soon Rangiku and Yukio had wandered over to the wooden railing as well and leaned against it to get closer to the pair. Toshiro froze in the strawberries arms as he processed this information.

‘No that cannot be right… he didn’t want me all to himself because he… he…’ Toshiro gulped and his eyes drifted from Rangikus concerned baby blue eyes to Yukios emerald eye which was full of apprehension.

‘He what?’ Kurosaki pressed, running a soothing thumb up and down Toshiros arm.

Then the tears were coming, they spilled down from the corner of his eyes and he couldn’t stop them. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face away from everyone and nuzzled into Ichigos chest.

‘Shiro, it’s just us I promise you can tell us anything.’ Rangiku muttered and he knew that Yukio was nodding his agreement.

‘He tried to hold me down while Aizen and Kusaka…’ he shook violently at the memories and he heard his friends’ audible gasps.

‘Shiro! He _didn’t!’_ Rangiku hissed and Toshiro shook his head.

‘That’s when I snapped. That’s when I realised that what we had wasn’t love, that it couldn’t be because two people who love each other would never do… would never want…’ The tears were still spilling and he groaned into Kurosakis hold.

‘Of course not!’ Rangiku called and she moved forward and Toshiro felt her join in on the hugging. Her heat engulfed his back but her busty breasts created a soft intrusion on the scars that he didn’t leap away this time, then to his left he felt more warmth and turned his face towards Yukio who had joined the group hug. Kurosaki removed one of his arms from Toshiro and wrapped it around Yukio and the four of them remained in the embrace. Yukios eye was staring at Toshiro and it was full of several emotions that Toshiro didn’t have the strength to try and comprehend. Instead he just smiled sheepishly at his friend and closed his eyes against their embrace.

Ran moved and the belt that clasped her dress dug into his back and he yelped and jumped forward into Kurosakis chest.

‘Watch his back!’ The strawberry instructed with kindness and Rangiku stepped back Yukio moving away too.

‘What’s wrong with his back?’ Rangiku asked and Toshiro whimpered, his friends had already heard everything they knew everything and so they should know this too. Carefully he brought a hand around and pushed his shirt up a little for the duo to see and they shared Kurosaki’s horror. Toshiro felt smaller colder hands than Rangikus or Kurosakis gently lift the fabric of his shirt and gently finger the scars. It was Yukio.

‘That’s why I broke his nose.’ The strawberry growled, clearly he could see the emotion crossing his friends faces but Toshiro couldn’t from his position with his face buried almost entirely into the strawberries chest.

‘I’ll kill him.’ Rangiku snarled behind Toshiro and then another equally hard and violence voice sounded.

‘I’ll help.’ Yukios tone caught Toshiro by surprise, he’d never heard the boy be malicious before.

‘This explains so much.’ Rangiku sighed and Toshiro turned to try and see her as Yukio gently put his shirt back down. ‘Now I understand why you wouldn’t change in front of me or let me touch your back.’

‘Now you know everything.’ Toshiro sighed and Kurosaki’s comforting strokes returned to his arms once again.

‘I think Ichigo was right.’ It was Yukio who spoke now, softly. ‘I think that he did this because he wanted to keep you to himself, what happened with the others was maybe just his way of dominating you further to try and prove with every ounce that you were completely under his control. Standing up for yourself and getting out was very brave and I admire you so much for it.’

From above him Toshiro could feel Kurosaki nod along with his friends words. Toshiro was thoughtful, could that have been it? Did Ichimaru only do all of this just to try and make him completely his? To prove he alone could own the white haired prodigy? If so it would explain why Ichimaru looked so thin when Toshiro saw him, like a drug addict coming down from an addiction.

‘But why?’

‘Toshiro, he may have had you convinced that your white hair and teal eyes were ugly-‘ Rangiku started.

‘But they’re not Toshiro they’re fucking stunning, like if this wasn’t a serious moment and I was seeing you for the first time I’d ravish you myself kind of stunning.’ Yukio attempted his usual sarcastic humour and Toshiro chuckled darkly.

‘I’m not kidding,’ Yukio clarified and Kurosaki sighed.

‘They’re right Toshiro, these unique qualities you’ve tried to hide make you one of the most beautiful creatures I swear I’ve ever seen.’ Toshiro felt his heart skip a beat at the strawberries words.

‘Look who’s talking,’ Toshiro leaned back and poked Kurosakis chest with a hard finger. The strawberry blond grinned down at him.

‘I don’t suppose you want to face the rest of the fourth years just now do you?’ He asked and Toshiro’s face drained of colour, after everything that had happened he couldn’t face seeing anyone. Not to mention he was sure his eyes were still red from the alcohol and the crying.

‘I didn’t think so.’ The delicious strawberry leaned in so their lips were only an inch apart and Toshiros eyes closed over. ‘Come back to mine tonight. Please.’

Toshiro gulped, he didn’t have an excuse now not to go. He could always head back home alone but the thought of laying in a bed alone tonight scared him, he didn’t want the events of the day to catch up to him and leave him feeling empty, cold and alone. He wanted to wake up next to Ichigo and cuddle into him. Ichigo. He wanted Ichigo.

Slowly Toshiro nodded against the older man and Ichigo crossed the remaining distance so that their lips met gently. He pulled away after a few moments and Toshiro turned to his friends, finally leaving the strawberries warm embrace.

‘Sorry to be skipping out so early,’ he sighed to Yukio, ‘and sorry for all the drama.’

‘Nothing to apologise for Toshiro, you’re my friend and I’ve grown to love you the same way I love Rangiku. I’m just sorry we couldn’t have all been friends earlier and helped you.’ The gamer shrugged his shoulders but his voice gave away a lot more emotion behind those words than his simple shrug could pass.

Toshiro smiled and stepped forward and accepted the gentle embrace of his friend whose hands lightly touched his back in a tentative manner, not wanting to hurt him. Next Toshiro was engulfed into Rangiku and her bust circled his head and blocked all access to breathable air as he heard her speak.

‘You take care of our boy Ichigo Kurosaki or you’ll have us to deal with.’ She threatened him and finally released Toshiro who gasped for air when Ichigo agreed.

‘We’ll tell everyone else you two left early, I’m sure they’ll understand,’ Yukio smiled, as he and Rangiku waved the two off.

They walked around the side of the mansion and back towards their cars, the evening air felt amazing on his skin and even though Ichigo offered to call them a taxi they ended up choosing to walk, he night air giving a chance for them to sober up and at the same time healing some of the night’s events with its gentle peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a comment or a kudos to let me know that you're enjoying it!


	6. Shattering Insecurities

The walk back to Ichigos took them a good thirty minutes and that was even with taking as many short cuts as Ichigo knew. The night air and seeped through Toshiros shirt and was causing the younger of the two to shiver.

‘Sorry I’d give you my jacket if I had one.’ Ichigo muttered pulling the prodigy flush against his side for around the seventh time.

‘That’s alright it actually feels good to feel the air numb my skin after all that drama.’ He took a deep breath and sighed they’d mostly been walking in silence except Ichigos small inputs about the best direction for the duo to head. Toshiro was thankful for it though he was letting his mind go over everything with Ichimaru slowly piece by piece snipping away all the bindings that the older man had installed in him; the fear of never having any friends; _snip,_ the fear of never being cared for; _snip,_ the fear of never being accepted; _snip._ Toshiro was enjoying cutting it all down, getting rid of the baggage piece by piece as they walked. He thought back to his time together when Ichimaru had first plucked up the courage to ask him out, Toshiro had been young, only 15 years old when it had happened and thinking back to it he had been sure that the older man had been watching him from afar for a long time before finally asking him out. The first few months had been great, Ichimaru had spoilt him rotten, made him feel happy but even from the beginning looking back now Toshiro could see the signs of his madness. He’d shout at anyone who tried to talk to Toshiro, anyone who looked at him. He had the prodigy believe that if people were staring and whispering it was because he looked like a freak.

He then reassured Toshiro by stating that he didn’t seen him that way that he and he alone loved the things that made him unique, but other people didn’t like things that were so different. He’d bonded with Toshiro stating that his accent and unusual facial features put him in the same line of fire as Toshiro, but now… now… Toshiro remembered back to the things that Rangiku, Yukio and Ichigo had all said about him. That he was attractive, perhaps people had been staring and pointing at him and whispering because they were curious and maybe that they did like the way he looked? Maybe one of these other people in his past could have saved him from Ichimarus abusive and obsessive relationship if only he’d given people a chance. He grimaced at the thought, no everything happened for a reason and had none of that happened to him he’d have never met Rangiku, Yukio and Ichigo. Maybe he’d have had more friends because he’d have been more accepting of them but he couldn’t fathom having a large number of friends be any better or anymore meaningful than his two strawberries and his blondie.

Soon they were standing outside an apartment block that was made of wood coloured cladding and boasted a beautiful red tiled roof. The front door was under lock and key and Ichigo had to open the heavy door up to them in. The door shut quietly behind him and the inside hallways were modern with low dim lighting and a dark brown carpeted flooring. Toshiro walked behind Ichigo as he lead them up three flights of stairs and inserted his key into a white door with a large number ‘12’ plastered on the front of it.

The two boys still didn’t speak much and Toshiro wondered if Ichigo had picked up the boys obsessive need for silence when he was working through his thoughts, Rangiku and Yuiko knew that about him but he was surprised to think about a time when the tall strawberry may have learned this behaviour of his. He tried to remember any times during rehearsals when this may have occurred and realised that there had been plenty of opportunities for the strawberry to learn how he operated.

Once the door was swung open Ichigo stepped back to let Toshiro into the dark apartment first and followed behind him, flicking on a light. The hallway was large and rectangular with smooth oak coloured laminate flooring and beige coloured walls, there wasn’t much in the way of decoration since most students couldn’t comfortably afford very much. Toshiro copied Ichigo in removing his shoes at the front door and followed behind him as he led a tour through the apartment.

‘This is the bathroom,’ it was a large room with stone styled tiles across the walls and a large shower and a separate bathtub, the laminate flooring stopped just at the doors entrance and gave way to cream coloured tiles.

‘That’s the kitchen,’ he pointed through an archway to the right and into a comfortably sized kitchen with oak cupboards and a large American sized black fridge before the pair moved into the living room.  The space connected the hallway and offered another entrance to the kitchen, a table was on the far side with jackets and papers slung across it. It was clearly meant to have been a dining table with chairs for eating at but it had been abused by the two students who lived here and seemed to have been turned into a junk desk. There were two large sofas pointing towards a wall mounted large TV, there was a playstation 4 and an xbox on on a tv stand below the mounted TV and games littered the floor.

Again there wasn’t much in the way of decoration but this room did contain some canvases of wolves and other nature like pictures.

‘Uryu does photography in his spare time,’ Ichigo muttered as he waved at the canvases. ‘We decided to pick our favourites and start getting them printed because we wanted more decoration.’

‘I like them.’ Toshiro breathed eying a stunning picture of a black pelted grey wolf as its golden orbs bore into the person looking at the canvas. A thin layer of white snow covered its pelt and its ears stood erect as if listening for a sound of danger, red tongue lapping at the snow around its jaws.

Ichigo seemed pleased at his reaction and stepped aside to let Toshiro wander back out into the hall. It was getting to crunch time now and he knew something would happen once they made it to Ichigos room, what it was though the prodigy could only guess.

‘That’s Uryus room,’ Ichigo thrust a thumb at a closed door behind him, ‘he doesn’t like me going in when he’s not here so I wont be showing it to you. He usually has a number of booby traps set up anyway and the last time I went in I found myself assaulted with paintballs. Toshiro grinned shyly up at Ichigo and tried to imagine what that must have looked like. Perhaps they could go paintballing sometime so he could see, he was sure he could wear adequate back protection to save his sensitive scars.

‘And this is…’ he swung the last door open and flicked on a light switch. The room was actually in pretty good nick considering Ichigo probably hadn’t been expecting to bring someone home… or had he? There were no clothes or cups or glasses left lying around as normal people would have done, instead there was a modest desk with text books piled neatly at the side and a closed closet with no sign of any skeletons. The double bed had light grey sheets to match the walls and the side table beside his bed held a lamp and charging cable for his mobile phone.

‘Were you expecting someone?’ Toshiro asked as he glanced around, hearing Ichigo close the door gently behind them as they stepped further into the room.

‘Ah,’ Ichigo chuckled and Toshiro turned to look at the strawberry blond, who was rubbing the back of his hair sheepishly. ‘Well, I thought about if something happened between us I might want to be prepared just in case.’ He shrugged his shoulders and Toshiro felt colour dance into his cheeks. The taller man stepped towards him and brought a finger up to ghost over the colour that had risen.

‘My God Toshiro, that colour on your face in contrast to your hair and eyes is just…’

Toshiro felt his heart sink, it was just what? Ugly? Disgusting? Stupid?

‘Stunning,’ Ichigo finally breathed leaning down to capture Toshiros lips with his own. Toshiro froze for a moment, he hadn’t really been expecting that answer but it rung in his ears and he kissed the older man back with enthusiasm. Gentle hands were placed on his hips and he was steered backwards towards the bed, a low moan echoing from his mouth as he realised what could happen between them.

He’d thought of the strawberry blond naked several times since he’d first laid eyes on him but the actual thought of seeing it, of being with him was still overwhelmingly intimidating. What if he did something wrong? What if Ichigo didn’t like how he did something? He tried to push the thoughts from his mind as a small whimper left his mouth when his legs caught the side of the bed and he found himself laying down on it with Ichigo climbing on top of him.

Toshiro tried to fight back the panic and Ichigo seemed to be seeing the internal struggles on his face. He locked his teal gaze with the beautiful chocolate orbs of the beautiful man and bit his lip.

‘Let me take care of you tonight,’ Ichigo murmured against his lips as his teeth gently stole Toshiros bottom lip from his own hesitant bite. The lip being transferred from Toshiros teeth to Ichigos began to get sucked lightly and Toshiro felt a groan rising in his throat. His hands wound themselves nervously around Ichigos neck, small fingers entwining into the orange locks as Ichigo let go of the puffy lower lip and began to kiss down Toshiros jaw.

 _Fuckkkkk._ This was actually happening, this was going to happen and he’d get to see the object of his fantasies in his full glory. That thought alone was enough to push several insecurities from his head as blood travelled from his usually amazingly cohered brain down to his groin.

The kisses along his jaw caused Toshiro to tilt back his head exposing his neck for the gifted lips to assault. They pressed firmly and tenderly down on the milky white flesh and then Ichigo found _that spot._ There was one spot on Toshiros neck that drove him wild, it was just above his collar bone where there was a little dip that connected delicate flesh to the muscled neck. As soon as he found it Toshiro let out a moan of approval causing the strawberry to falter, he’d clearly been kissing his way down to the younger boys collar bone but now stopped to explore this new area of sensitive flesh on his partner. _So good, so good._ Toshiro groaned as the flesh was sucked into the mans mouth and his tongue ravished it. Toshiro tilted his head to the side and presented the full area of the flesh to the man who seemed to hum contently against the skin, pleased with this new revelation.

Soon Ichigos hands had come up between them and unbuttoned more than just the few top buttons. Toshiro was barely even conscious at this point, the tongue assaulting that spot on his neck literally made him go limp on the bed. He was completely at the older mans mercy now and felt the air of the room swirl around his torso as his chest was left completely exposed. Ichigos hands had made quick work of the buttons and now pushed the sides of the fabric away from his torso. The strawberry broke his wicked sucks on Toshiros neck and glanced down taking in a deep breath as he did so.

‘Fuck Toshiro, you’re so damn hot,’ he growled and Toshiro gulped looking down. His chest was completely exposed and rising and falling quickly with every breath he took, years of martial arts had left him with a very definitive six pack but didn’t boast the massive muscle mass of someone much larger like the strawberry. He was thankful not to have any scars across his torso, Ichimaru enjoyed looking at it too much to do that, the same way the abusive ex wouldn’t do anything to harm his white hair or teal eyes because he enjoyed them. The only lingering physical effects of that relationship were across Toshiros back, the rest were mental.

‘Please stop staring,’ Toshiro was fidgeting with his shirt as Ichigos eyes still lingered on his body.

‘Sorry, I can’t help it,’ the strawberry didn’t look nor sound sorry in the slightest and instead brought an inquisitive hands down to trace across the smaller mans abs watching them curiously as they twitched and tensed under his touch. _‘Fuck_ Toshiro, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted someone this badly in my life.’

Then he was kissing the exposed flesh, every part of every muscle his lips could get latched onto and Toshiro was groaning, eyes rolling back and head falling into the soft grey covers of the bed. Soon Ichigos hands went lower, sliding tentatively into the waistband of the boys jeans and Toshiro tensed.

‘W-wait.’ He gasped and Ichigo faltered looking up at the boy with concern. Toshiro felt that familiar flush lash his cheeks and creep up his neck as he propped himself up to slip the shirt completely off his arms. ‘I don’t want to be the only one naked.’ He muttered timidly and Ichigo grinned at him.

‘Sorry, I forgot I was too busy trying to unwrap the beautiful gift in front of me.’ With a chuckle he crawled back towards Toshiro and they locked their lips as Toshiros shy hands came up and began to unbutton the black shirt on Ichigos body. Taking a deep breath Toshiro broke apart the kiss when the last button was undone and watched with wide teal eyes as Ichigo removed it and tossed it onto the floor somewhere. Ichigo was muscled, not just toned but muscled. He boasted the larger pecks and arms, though his six pack was more subtle. Toshiro felt very shy under him and quickly retracted his hands back against his own body. He’d never been allowed to touch Ichimaru without his specific consent so the two small hands twisted nervously against Toshiros chest as he tried to resist the urge to reach up and trace over the muscles.

As if sensing his dilemma Ichigo took one of his smaller hands in his own and guided it up to his chest. Toshiro felt his teal eyes go wide with surprise and soon the hand was moving freely and greedily on its own. He traced over all the muscles on the older mans chest down towards the waistband of his jeans, Toshiro noticed the strawberries eyes flutter closed for a moment, and then back up across his pecks to wrap around his neck. Toshiro pulled with surprising strength and earned a gasp from the older man as the hand around his neck pulled his face back down and in for a kiss, this time Toshiro tried to convey the need he felt, he was intimidated yes and he had many insecurities following all the events of the night but he wanted to feel safe and he wanted to feel cared for. He wanted all the things the berry had promised him. Sensing the need in the kiss Ichigo made a small noise of reassurance at the back of his throat and brought his hand up to stroke down Toshiros side. Once at the waistband of his jeans again he proceeded to unbutton and unzip them. Toshiro took a deep steadying breath and let the mans lips pull away as he moved himself down towards Toshiros full clothed erection. He brought two hands up and began to remove the jeans and boxers together, doing it painfully slow and marvelling as the entire hardened member was revealed to him. Toshiro felt very self conscious as those lust filled dark caramel coloured eyes drank in every detail that he was seeing. His length twitched under the intense gaze, precum smudged across the head and he could feel Ichigos breath brushing across the sensitive skin of the organ.

‘You’ve even got a perfect looking cock,’ Ichigo hummed as he gently stroked a finger up the muscle and watched it twitch at his touch. No one had ever really taken this much of an interest in it before. Ichimaru was only ever in it for his own sexual gratification and so his own erection usually got ignored as his ex took to fucking him with next to no preparation. Toshiro was beyond embarrassed, he lay completely exposed to this man and all he was doing was staring at him.

‘Please…’ Toshiro whimpered as he watched the older male tilt his head gently to the side.

‘I wonder how you taste,’ he muttered and Toshiros teal eyes went wide as Ichigo ran the tip of his tongue all the way up his member to lap at the precum at the top. Toshiro swallowed thickly as the sight and the feeling of the tongue sent small shockwaves of pleasure coursing through his being. Once the assaulting appendage had lapped away all the precum it retracted back into Ichigos mouth and he sighed contently.

‘You taste as good as you look, sweet like frosted icing,’ Toshiros mushy brain hadn’t had time to fully register the compliment when the strawberry blond descended completely down on him.

 _‘Oh fuck, oh fuck, Ichico!’_ The teen gasped, his knees rising up on the bed and his legs spreading wide for the talented mouth to gain even better access. Ichigo was clearly a master at this and Toshiro felt the muscles of his throat contract as the older man managed to bypass his gag reflexes and deep throat him. Toshiros eyes snapped shut as wave after wave of pure pleasure coursed through him. His hands grasped at the bed sheets, clawing just looking for something, anything to steady himself. _‘Fuck, Ichigo that feels so good.’_ He gasped and felt his breathing come out in ragged uneven waves. He’d been taught to be vocal with Ichimaru. If he wasn’t vocal he’d get punished, so perhaps that’s what surprised Ichigo as the man brought his hands up to rub soothing circles across his hips as he continued to assault Toshiros leaking member.

Toshiro could feel his body pushing him to that peak, the sensations building as the talented mouth moved up and down, tongue circling the head as it was completely removed from the mouth before being plunged back in. The prodigy’s body began to shake moving him to that wall and his mind kicked back into gear. _Don’t cum, don’t cum, don’t cum._ The internal voice at the back of his mind kept calling to him and he grimaced when the length was completely removed once more from the strawberries mouth.

‘Wow Toshiro you hang on well, most guys would have exploded on me by now.’ Ichigos voice was amused as he planted a tender kiss on the tip of Toshiros length and reached over to his side table opening up one of the drawers. Toshiro was watching carefully, his breathing descended back down as the older man pulled out a bottle of lube. Ichigo squeezed some out and lathered his fingers reaching under the smaller male. Toshiro blinked, he couldn’t understand why was he using lube? Ichimaru never used it. He was curious as and lifted his ass a little off the sheets to allow Ichigo better access to his ass. Locating the opening Ichigo teased it gently with the tip of his finger and Toshiro felt his muscles begin to relax in anticipation for what was to come. The digit slipped in passed the tight ring of muscles a lot easier than Toshiro thought possible and he gasped at the intrusion. It had been a long time since he’d felt this kind of unusual pressure inside him. The slick finger worked its way in and out of him helping him to get used to the feeling when a second finger was added. Toshiro gasped his body jerking a little at the sensation. Okay, lube was good. It made this part a lot less painful and lot more fucking enjoyable.

 _‘Fuck, fuck, fuck,_ ’ he panted through strangled breaths as Ichigos tongue began to assault the tip of his aching member once again.

‘Mmmm… don’t worry that’s coming.’ Ichigo breathed against his cock, and Toshiro took in a deep breath feeling the fingers stretch him as he began to move his hips to meet the thrusts. Ichigo changed the angle, lifting one side of Toshiro up with his left leg and thrust back in, it felt like he was looking for something-

 _‘Nnnnghhh!’_ Toshiro felt the gasp roll from his lips as a pressure of pure pleasure washed all the way up his spine causing him to gasp and shudder.

‘Found it,’ Ichigo chuckled as he leaned over Toshiro, the small prodigies eyes were half lidded and barely focused at all as the strawberry reached his lips in a gentle kiss.

‘D-do that a-again…’ Toshiro panted shyly and winced as the fingers were removed.

‘In a second gorgeous I want to get you comfortable first.’ Toshiros limp body was suddenly lifted and the larger teen turned them around so that Toshiro was lying with his head on the pillows. Instinctively small hands shot up to grasp at a headboard but there wasn’t one, instead there was a metal railing and each small hand grasped one of the cool metal bars as Ichigo worked at removing his own jeans and boxers. The shock of the coursing pleasure was beginning to ebb away and Toshiro desperately wanted to feel that feeling again as he glanced over at his partner. Ichigo had successfully removed the last of the clothing that was preventing them from feeling each others bodies and Toshiros eyes went wide.

Ichigos member was swollen and leaking precum as it stood erect and untouched between them but Ichigo rolled over and hovered over his little lover who was shaking on the bed.

‘I don’t want to do anything you’re not comfortable with,’ he said his voice thick with lust. ‘I’ll only go inside if you want me too.’

After a few shocked moments at actually being asked consent Toshiro nodded at the taller man and gulped.

‘I really want to feel you inside me,’ he whispered shyly and Ichigo smiled leaning down and kissing the prodigy tenderly on the lips.

‘That’s the hottest thing someone has ever said to me.’ Ichigo chuckled against his lips then reached back down towards Toshiros entrance. He teased the tight hole again with his fingers until Toshiro growled at him and he finally inserted his fingers back in searching for that sweet spot once more. Toshiros mind was wiped clean the moment they digits assaulted his prostate and his head snapped back into the pillows and he let out a loud groan of approval. Ichigo inserted a third finger and Toshiro whimpered in pain but it was once again forgotten as they began to push in a steady rhythm against that delicate sweet spot. Toshiro was soon panting and pushing back against the fingers, his hands gripping the railings of the bed until his knuckles went white.

 _Fuck, so good, so fucking good._ Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through him and he didn’t even notice when the fingers would spread to help stretch him.

 _‘I-Ichigo I need you, please…’_ the young prodigy moaned and Ichigo grunted withdrawing his fingers once more. With a slight whimper at the loss Toshiro opened his heavy eyes to glance down and see Ichigo lubing up his own throbbing member. He ran his fingers up and down his member a couple of times as if masturbating a little to the sight in front of him. Toshiro flushed, watching the older man do it was so erotic and thrilling and Toshiro felt his own member twitching at the sight, God he wanted to cum so bad. Ichigo grunted as his hand sped up and the urge to touch himself overcame Toshiro at the sight, just before his own hand could make it down between his legs however Ichigo was back over him, pressing his torso down upon the smaller body and dragging a whimper of need from the lips. The hard muscles of the older male pressed down on his and Ichigo locked his lips onto that delicate part of Toshiros neck earning him a long drawn out moan as the man began to push in.

Toshiro felt his muscles tighten and he worked to make them relax as the throbbing organ pushed beyond the ring of tight muscles further up inside him. The fact the member had been so well lubricated made it much easier and offered a lot less pain than he was used too with sex though it still hurt. Ichigo was right there kissing down on his neck and offering gentle words of care in his ears as he continued to push inside and soon he was balls deep in the prodigy and Toshiro was panting with the effort of controlling himself.

Not long after this Toshiro felt his entire brain turn to mush, once the red headed male began to withdraw and push gently back in, the tip of that luscious erection pressing against his sweet spot at a particular angle and shooting waves of pleasure up and down the smaller male.

Toshiro wasn’t even sure half of the things that were coming out his mouth as he groaned and begged for more. His hips pushing back to meet each and every thrust as the couple began to build up a good rhythm between them. Toshiro tried to spread his legs wider to allow Ichigo even deeper inside him as his whole body burned with need. Each pound against his prostate pushing the white haired boy closer and closer to his limit as he gasped and writhed in pleasure below the large strawberry.

‘Fuck Toshiro you’re so damn tight,’ Ichigo grunted from somewhere above him, as he pulled out and slammed back in hitting that sweet spot directly head on. Toshiro was gasping and gagging for it, his hands clasping at the metal railings for support as he continued to beg, soon Ichigos hand moved between them to grasp at Toshiros abandoned and twitching length, there was still some lube on his hand from where he had been jerking himself off and he used that to gently pump Toshiros own length between them. Toshiro felt himself approaching the wall and his body fought against the orgasm instinctively as he panted and begged.

 _‘Cum for me Toshiro, I want to see you cum.’_ The words were like music to his ears and as the strawberry slammed back in balls deep Toshiro moaned Ichigos name and ejaculated hard between the two bodies. He felt Ichigo follow inside him but his own wasn’t done yet, spurt and spurt landed on the stomachs between them until it was running down the side of Toshiros waist.

‘Jesus Toshiro,’ Ichigo choked as the muscles of Toshiros entire body contorted with his release.

Toshiro lay panting, completely spent and finally opened his teal eyes to stare down at the sight, Ichigo was looking at him with concerned eyes as he pulled out and the prodigy grimaced at the loss. He didn’t understand the look on Ichigos face as the strawberry came up to kiss him, Toshiro turned his head expectantly but instead of going to his lips Ichigo kissed away tears that Toshiro hadn’t even realised were there.

His lips pressed down on the salty trail that had disappeared somewhere into his white hair and he felt the mans tongue gently caress the skin then Ichigo moved over to the other side to offer the same treatment to the tear trail from his right eye. Toshiro sighed contently and when Ichigo lowered his mouth to his own he could taste the tears on his tongue.

They kissed tenderly for a while, Ichigos thumb rubbing away the last of the tears that spilled from Toshiros eyes.

‘He never used to let you cum did he?’ Ichigo asked against his lips and Toshiro whimpered.

‘No.’

There was a tense few moments where Toshiro could feel a protective anger bubbling inside the body that was over him, but then he seemed to calm down and relax and eventually he kissed the boy again.

‘I promise every single time we ever do anything like this, I will make sure you do.’ Toshiro breathed a heavy sigh, the entire orgasmic feeling in his body ebbing away but the afterglow still radiated from him.

‘I’d only get to release if I was good, if I did everything he wanted exactly how he wanted it.’ Toshiro spoke against Ichigos lips and the older man pulled away to meet his gaze. ‘If I did something wrong he’d whip me, if I didn’t make enough noise he’d whip me.’ He shook his head and shuddered at the memories. ‘How did you know?’

‘The fact that that was the most I’ve ever seen come out of anyone coupled with the fact you kept begging me to _“let you come.”_ ’ Ichigo said, running and gentle thumb just under the boys temple as another tear spilled from the teal eyes.

‘Oh,’ Toshiro tried to remember, but his begging was lost in his memory he just remembered opening his mouth it felt like he had no control what came out of it. Ichigo kissed him on his forehead and Toshiro sighed with content, then the older man looked down between them.

‘You know it was a shame to let all that go to waste.’ He chuckled at the mess between their bodies where Toshiros sperm now sat in a pool on his rising and falling stomach. Toshiro blushed at the mess he’d made and muttered an apology which Ichigo silenced with a look.

‘Don’t you ever apologise for that,’ he instructed his voice full of care and authority. He lowered one of his fingers into the mess and brought it back up to his lips to suck it. The sight was so erotic that Toshiro gulped thickly staring at the digit as the disappeared inside the strawberries mouth.

‘So good,’ Ichigo sighed before shaking his head. ‘I’d have happily drunk it all if you’d came in my mouth.’ Toshiro moaned pathetically under the older man and though he was completely spent he could feel his body aching to try and rouse for another round. Ichigo chuckled and removed himself from the bed snatching a towel from his closet he walked back over to his messy partner and Toshiro felt the towel move across his stomach as he cleaned up the mess.

‘Sorry,’ Toshiro whimpered again and he heard Ichigo sigh.

‘Stop apologising Toshiro, seriously, do you realise how thrilling it is to make a partner cum like that?’ He asked wiping the last of the mess away and tossing the towel to the other side of his room.

‘It is?’ Toshiros hands had removed themselves from the bars and now twisted nervously in front of his chest again.

‘Yes,’ Ichigo slid his way up beside the boy and Toshiro felt wet lips press against his forehead tenderly, ‘you completely give yourself over to your partner when you cum so there’s a total level of trust there. Not to mention it’s a sign of being really good in bed that you can brag about to your partner whenever they piss you off.’ He grinned against his skin and met his eyes. Toshiro knew he looked pathetic, getting a lecture about things that must have been second knowledge to everyone else. His hands still twisting shyly, Ichigo took one of them in his hand and wrapped it around his body, laying flat and pulling Toshiro into his chest. The small prodigy sighed contently as he lay across Ichigos chest. He felt the strawberries fingers lightly run up and down his sensitive sides making amused sounds when Toshiro squirmed.

‘Do you always feel this sensitive afterwards?’ The prodigy groaned as the assaulting hand began to gently rub his ass and he pressed himself further against his partner to escape the sensitive touches.

‘Yup, isn’t it fun?’ Ichigo chuckled and Toshiro swatted a hand at him.

‘He’d never touch me afterwards.’ Toshiro frowned now realising all the stuff he’d missed out on.

‘Well I will, I’ll annoy you for as long as I’m around,’ Ichigo said as his hand returned to the boys sensitive cheek.

‘How long are you going to be around?’ Toshiro asked as his hand lightly traced over Ichigos abs.

‘As long as you want me.’

‘What if I want you for a very long time?’

‘Then that’s how long I’ll be around.’

The two lay in silence for a while lightly stroking each other and enjoying the light touches.

‘Toshiro?’

‘Hmm?’ Toshiro had closed his eyes and was enjoying the warmth that came with being so close and intimate after the sexual act they’d just experienced.

‘Would you be my boyfriend?’

‘You’re asking me out?’

‘Yeah,’

‘Shouldn’t we at least go on a date first?’ Toshiro could feel himself grinning and he felt Ichigo laugh under him. It seemed silly after the activity they’d just done for the boy to demand something like that. He’d never really had a proper date before though and he really liked the thought of getting all dressed up and going to do something with the man he’d really started to fucking like.

‘Alright, how about a movie tomorrow night?’

‘Suicide squad?’

‘Yeah that’s exactly what I was thinking.’ Ichigo laughed and Toshiro smiled into his chest, planting a tender kiss against the flesh.

‘Okay.’ Toshiro was excited, he thought about the prospect of meeting someone for an actual date, getting dressed up and _not_ having to hide behind that ridiculous wig with those ridiculous brown contact lenses in. He felt just like a teenager in a rom com movie as he pondered about having Yukio and Rangiku help him get ready the next day, Rangiku would be delighted of course and he was sure with a bit of gentle persuasion that Yukio would be up for the task as well. He couldn’t help but grin against the mans skin and relish in the feeling of how blissfully happy he was.

He’d had so many other things playing through his mind such as how he was going to face his entire class on Monday morning in Chemistry after the events of what had happened at Yukios party. That didn’t seem to bother him at all now as he thought about the prospect of facing it with not only Rangiku and Yukio by his side but also his potential _boyfriend._ The word seemed so strange even just tossed around his head, but since the moment he’d seen the berry since the moment he’d been kissed by him on stage Toshiro had badly wanted to be here in his bed.

With a content sigh Toshiro felt his lids get heavy, his eyes drooping and he was stirred awake again when they heard the door to the apartment open and close. Ichigos hand that had started to go limp began to gently rub at Toshiros side and then there was a gentle knock at the bedroom door. Toshiro made to move to cover himself up but Ichigo wouldn’t let him.

‘What is it?’ he asked.

‘Are you alone?’ Uryu’s voice asked from the other side of the door, the voice didn’t sound like the owner had touched a single drop of alcohol.

‘No,’ Ichigo grinned and he pulled Toshiro closer to him.

There was a moments silence and then.

‘I knew it.’ They heard the voice chuckle and then the sound of footsteps walking away from the door, Toshiro relaxed and glared up at Ichigo who just grinned down at him.

‘You could have lied.’

‘If I’d lied he may have walked in.’

‘Is that really why you said that?’ Toshiro asked, propping himself up to continue his playful glare at the handsome man.

‘No,’ Ichigos eyes flashed and he sat up to capture Toshiros lips once again. The kiss became quite heated and both men pulled apart before they got too hard.

‘Then why?’ Toshiro gasped for air as he settled back down into Ichigos chest.

‘Because he will go and tell the other members of the Fresh Meat club and they’ll finally leave you alone.’

‘Good point.’

It was around about this time that Toshiro had his last coherent thought, somewhere between the gentle strokes up and down his side and across his ass that his mind shut down and he went limp with sleep in the older males embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Kudos for lemons!


	7. Cinema

Texting was safer.

If he called her he knew that she’d just simply ask for every single bit of juicy detail over the phone. He scowled at the thought as he sat outside in the garden. The sun was slowly descending and the warmth was welcomed against his skin as he lay back on the grass. Granny was humming a tune lightly as she hung out her washing, fixing it on the washing line. He’d offered to help but she’d told him he looked pale and to go and sit in the sun for a bit.

That was Granny, always insulting in a warm and loving manner. When he’d gone to collect his car from Yukio’s he’d knocked the door to speak with the boy. He’d convinced his hung over friend to come over to his later on that day with Rangiku to help him get ready for his date with Ichigo. The boy hadn’t taken as much convincing as Toshiro thought. As soon as he’d seen how incredibly hung over his friend was he’d continued to shout really loud until the boy agreed. It had gone something like this:

_‘OH I’M SORRY ARE YOU HUNGOVER?’ Toshiro shouted at the boy. Yukio grimaced and was about to shut the door but Toshiro stuck his foot out catching it and causing the other man to scowl._

_‘I DIDN’T HEAR YOUR ANSWER ARE YOU COMING OVER LATER OR NOT!?’_

_‘Please…’ Yukio whined attempting to clamp his hands over his ears to stop the pain of the shouting from going to his head. ‘Please be quiet.’_

_‘IS THAT A YES?’_

_‘Yes now please be quiet!’_

_‘Okay,’ Toshiro had grinned at his friend who simply scowled back, drawing the covers over his body more as if trying to comfort himself. Toshiro stared at his friend, he was in a very good mood, the kind of mood that someone who had just gotten laid was usually in the next day._

_‘Yukio?’_

_‘Toshiro…’ Yukio fixed his friend with his one emerald eye, his blond hair was stuck out all over his face and Toshiro could see the pain in the eye, the pain from someone suffering a massive headache._

_‘Are you naked under that cover?’ Instantly the blond boy flushed._

_‘N-No,’ he tried to step back away from Toshiro clutching the sheets more firmly around his body._

_‘You are aren’t you?’ Toshiro stepped a foot down on the cover and it caught causing the other boy to stumble backwards almost completely exposing himself. Toshiro threw back his head and roared with laughter, Yukios modesty was covered by a tiny part of the cover across his crotch but the blond boy didn’t care about that instead he simply lay flat on the ground and his hands shot up to cover his ears from the noise of his loud friends laughing._

_‘What on earth did you get up to last night?’ Toshiro asked and the boy scowled at him._

_‘I’ll tell you later just piss off.’ Toshiro walked over and helped his friend to his feet getting a flash of his pale ass as he stood up still trying to cover himself with the cover and chuckled at him._

_‘Alright fine, I’ll see you at mine at 6pm.’ Toshiro turned around and exited the house going straight to his car before driving back home._

Now here he was it was nearly 6pm and he’d text Rangiku that he needed help getting ready for a date. She’d tried to call him 6 times and he ignored her and let it go to voicemail before she finally text back that she’d be there. He knew if he answered that she’d demand to know everything and he wanted to speak to their faces about it. He couldn’t stop the stupid grin that had been plastered on his face all day.

‘Toshiro I think your friends are here.’ Granny commented with a soft smile as he turned around to look down the side of the house. Yukio drove a classic deep blue mustang convertible and parked it up outside, Rangiku bounding out as she bubbled away happily. Toshiro grinned at the sight; Yukio was wearing sunglasses and clearly still hadn’t recovered from his throbbing headache.

‘Toshiro!’ Rangiku chimed happily as he walked around the corner and greeted them warmly. Rangiku turned and hugged him into her side so he could avoid being suffocated by her large bust and then Toshiro was hugging his blond friend merrily.

‘Well someone clearly got some last night.’ Rangiku answered and Toshiro flailed hushing them and ushering them inside and away from Grannys ears.

‘She still thinks I’m a virgin lets keep it that way,’ he hissed and Rangiku chuckled. Yukio groaned clutching his head and took off the glasses rubbing his eyes.

‘You owe me for this Shiro.’

‘Not you too?’ Toshiro frowned as Yukio called him the hated nick name.

‘You shouted at me and then nearly saw me naked. I think you deserve the nick name.’

 _‘What?’_ Rangiku hissed at the two, ‘clearly I’ve missed something here.’

Toshiro frowned, he did kind of deserve it. That was a pity, Yukio was probably the one person he could have counted on to never use that nick name he loathed so much but now that he thought about what he had done to the boy earlier that day he sighed.

‘Yeah you’re right I deserved it,’ he turned to Rangiku and smirked as he led the two of them to his room. ‘Oh I stopped by to get my car this morning and decided to wake this one up and ask him to come over today. I figured convincing him would be difficult so I decided to do it in person. It was easier than I expected.’ He filled her in on what had happened while they made themselves comfortable in his room. Yukio perched on his bed and Rangiku sat on the desk seat as she laughed at the mental image of Yukio grasping a slipping blanket around his naked body.

‘Thanks for your support Rangiku,’ Yukio scowled at her, ‘I never knew how loud Toshiros voice could be, normally he’s so quiet and shy.’

‘It seems he was until he had amazing sex.’ Rangiku retorted and Toshiro flushed and went about removing stuff from his wardrobe.

‘So are you going to tell us how it went?’ She asked with a teasing tone, and he straightened his back.

‘What would you like to know exactly?’ He asked scared of what was going through her sick mind.

‘Oh you know, who was top who was bottom was he gentle or rough did he make you cum? I wanna know it _all.’_

‘Rangiku you’re such a pervert, just sit there and help me pick something to wear please.’ Toshiro asked as he continued to pull things out from his wardrobe.

‘If you tell us we’ll fill you in on all the gossip from last night, including who Yukio got with,’ she replied back calmly as she sat examining her nails.

Toshiro quickly turned around to stare at the blond boy. Yukio was glaring at Rangiku from his spot on the bed.

‘Don’t use me as a bargaining chip!’ He snapped at her but Toshiro was already leaning over the bed gazing intently at his friend.

‘Okay fine this I gotta hear, whatever we say in this room stays in this room.’ His eyes snapped back to Rangiku. ‘Agreed?’

‘Of course, you’re the only two I like to talk about things too anyway!’ She waved a hand and grinned rubbing her hands together.

‘Okay then, I was bottom, Ichigo was top but you already know that it started off gentle but then got rough and we both came. Now it’s your turn.’ He snapped pointing a finger at his blond haired friend who looked shocked that Toshiro had actually indulged Rangiku by answering her questions. Rangiku was buzzing and she was practically vibrating in her seat.

‘I can’t believe it I’m so thrilled for you Shiro, okay so if you had to guess who Yukio got with who would you guess?’

‘Please… can we not?’

‘Uryu?’ Toshiro offered up but she shook her head. That wouldn’t make sense since he had heard Uryu come home late last night.

‘Seriously… can we not-‘

‘Renji?’ he tried again and she shook her head once more, ‘Shuhei?’

The squeal that fell from her lips confirmed his choice was right and Yukio groaned and fell back on Toshiros bed.

‘Oh my God are you serious?’ Toshiro was grinning now and jumped onto the bed beside his friend.

‘Bring me back the quiet and timid and non sexed up Toshiro please.’ Yukio called up to the ceiling. ‘He’d have my back right now and he’d have been mortified by this conversation. I need him, I need his support.’

‘Sorry Yukio,’ Toshiro leaned over to see his friends uncovered emerald eye. ‘It’s not happening, so how was he?’

‘Not you too,’ he groaned as a blush crept over his face.

‘You’re a bottom right? So I already know that, was he good or did it suck?’ Toshiro asked.

‘Do you have regrets?’ Rangiku continued as the pair worked together.

‘Are you seeing him again?’

‘Is this going to be a regular thing or a one off thing?’

‘Did this happen during a continuation of the seven minutes in heaven game?’ Toshiro watched with enjoyment as the blush spread across his friends face and he took one of Toshiros pillows to cover his face with it.

‘Don’t hide from us,’ Rangiku scowled as she climbed onto the bed beside her friends trying to pry the pillow away as the boy pretended to scream into it.

‘Look at us while we’re talking to you.’ Toshiro snapped playfully and watched as the mass of blond hair shook against the pillow.

‘I can answer one of those questions at least, it was during the minutes in heaven game but the timer stopped working so couples were just kind of sent to the rooms until they wanted to come out.’ Rangiku chuckled as she prodded at the pillow covering her friends face. ‘And you’re not going to believe what else Shiro?’

‘What?’ he asked choosing to ignore the pet name this time as he watched her practically bounce with excitement on his bed.

‘Guess who was the dominant, _guess?’’_

Toshiros teal eyes went wide and he glanced down at the white pillow covering his friends face with a gasp.

‘NO WAY!’

‘WAY!’ She squealed happily, ‘I never knew he had a thing of Shuhei but apparently he does, he just never told us.’

Toshiro tried to picture his friend coming onto Shuhei in one of the rooms, he remembered with ease how natural the boy had been when it was their turn in the room, but the thought of him being dominant with someone who seemed… well… _more_ dominant than he was, was a little overwhelming.

‘He is quite attractive but what’s with that tattoo on his face?’ Toshiro asked recalling the man with the ‘69’ tattoo.

‘Apparently he’s very good at the position, Yukio can you confirm?’ Rangiku called to the blond boy from the side of the pillow. They heard him groan under it and laughed.

‘I want to know are you going to see him again?’ Toshiro asked trying to lift one of the edges of the pillow up to see his face. He held it flat down though refusing to let go and Toshiro looked at Rangiku. She nodded to the pillow and took an edge of it, following her lead Toshiro took another edge, her hand crept down to his side and tickled him and as he gasped the two pulled the pillow away from his blushing face.

‘It was a one time thing!’ He called covering his face with his hand. ‘Please leave me alone.’

Toshiro laughed as Rangiku leaned over and planted a kiss on her friends head. Toshiro patted his head condescendingly and slipped off the bed.

‘I told you all about mine, come on Yukio.’

‘Fine, I barely remember it; we were both so drunk so it’s going to be a one time thing, that’s all you’re getting.’ He hissed at them and Toshiro smiled.

‘That’s fine for the time being thank you for telling us,’ he smiled at the boy and Rangiku pinched his cheek, he slapped her hand away and glared at her as he sat back up.

‘What else did I miss from the party?’ Toshiro asked as he took Rangikus seat at his desk.

‘Well it seems Yumichika and Ikkaku are now a thing- OH!’ Toshiro almost jumped at her exclamation. ‘GUESS WHO SHOWED UP! After your drama there was more drama,’ she started speaking very quickly as Yukio sat back up, he seemed to be recalling a far off memory as she spoke. ‘So Rukia and Renji got put into a room together and everyone thought they were doing it but they started arguing. Apparently Renji had drunkenly text Rukias brother Byakuya and he showed up to the party to take her home. Somewhere in the middle of all the chaos I can barely remember because I was so wasted Renji _kissed_ her brother!’ Rangiku finished and even Yukio blinked in surprise.

‘Why didn’t I see any of this?’

‘You were too busy with 69.’ Rangiku retorted and he tried to ignore her.

‘Oh wow,’ Toshiro recalled the first day he’d gone to the college when he’d overheard Renji and Ichigo in the bathroom, ‘I remember hearing about that from Ichigo.’ He filled them in on the bathroom encounter and what he could remember from it, they seemed surprised.

‘Okay so then Byakuya gets all pissy, shoves him off takes Rukia home and leaves Renji in a mess. He cheered up later on though I think he was texting Byakuya because his phone kept going off.’

‘For someone who was drunk you remember a lot Rangiku,’ Toshiro pointed out with a grin.

‘Well the incident with you sobered me up a bit.’ She frowned looking at him and he glanced at the ground with a gulp. ‘After you left everyone was talking about it, people were surprised about the wig, which by the way was passed around and worn as a novelty act for the rest of the evening.’ Toshiro scowled at this and sighed, he shouldn’t have left it behind but he had no use for it anymore.

‘Everyone was talking about what a dick those guys were and how scared they’d been for you, Renji felt really bad about inviting them.’ She continued as she watched him sympathetically.

‘Are you going to be going wigless to College on Monday?’ Yukio asked watching his friend and Toshiro slowly nodded.

‘No point in hiding anymore.’

‘There was no point in hiding to begin with,’ Rangiku scoffed and Yukio nodded slowly.

‘I wish you’d told me when Rangiku found out Toshiro, you should know that despite how much we enjoy being dicks to you we both really do care about you.’ Yukio said with such certainty that Toshiro couldn’t help but smile shyly at him.

‘Group hug,’ Rangiku grabbed Yukio into an embrace and opened an arm up for Toshiro, he bit his lip at the sight of his friend getting crushed by Rangikus bust and decided he shouldn’t suffer alone, he crawled onto the bed and allowed himself to be enveloped in the warmth of his two friends, the scent of lavender mixing with some kind of womanly perfume that was Rangiku through and through.

‘Now let’s help Shiro get ready for his date.’ Yukio growled as he pulled away from Rangikus bust to try and catch a breath. Rangiku leaned across the blond man to pick up a shirt from the pile that Toshiro had thrown over the side of his bed.  

‘You should try this one on Shiro,’ Rangiku held up a black shirt, he’d bought it for a change but didn’t think he really suited black. He figured it couldn’t hurt to try it on so he slipped off the bed and he kept his back to his friends as he removed his t shirt and reached out for the black shirt.

‘Wow Shiro, you’re really toned, I bet Ichigo was thrilled.’ Rangikus voice caused him to flush but otherwise he ignored her. He could see Yukios emerald eye glancing over his torso as he slipped the shirt on and buttoned it up.

‘Hmm, I think something lighter otherwise he looks like he’s going to a funeral.’ Yukio slipped off the bed and slid passed Toshiro picking through his shirts and grinning as he held up a pale icy blue shirt. ‘That will go with your hair and I have something that would go really nice with it too in my car.’ He left Toshiro to swap into the icy blue shirt as he walked from the room.

‘Toshiro you don’t have to hide your back from me,’ Rangiku smiled at him as he once again turned to face her.

‘It’s not pleasant to look at.’

‘It’s part of you and you are pleasant to look at.’ He got a flashback to Ichigo and felt a smile play at his lips, he’d surprised himself by how fond of the two he’d grown to be. It was hard to imagine a time now when they weren’t in his life and he had no one, he couldn’t remember feeling lonely but he was sure he must have been because he felt so much more complete when he was with Rangiku and Yukio and now Ichigo.

Soon Yukio was back in the room and holding out a small and tailored white waistcoat. Quirking a brow Toshiro slipped into it, it was a good thing both boys were almost the same height and build because it fit just right, snugly clinging around his waist and broadening up over his chest, he just had to make some small adjustments to the back of the neck to have it fit him perfectly since Yukio was a little taller than he was.

‘Oh my gosh Toshiro you look adorable,’ Rangiku cried as she leaned over looking at him with wide baby blue eyes.

‘I don’t look stupid?’ he asked as he tried to glance down at himself, Yukio scoffed behind him.

‘You’ve been dressed by me, you look classy now lets get you there or you’re going to be late.’

‘One last thing,’ Rangiku walked over and popped the first two buttons of his shirt lose with a wink, ‘two is to tease three is to please.’ She chuckled and they left the house.

‘Bye Gran, I’ll be back late, don’t wait up.’ He called to his Gran who smiled knowingly at him as he slipped into the mustang. He had to admit it was a beautiful car. It kicked into life with a beautiful roar and felt so smooth, the only issue was Yukio. Yukio was an insane driver. From the moment he put his foot down on the gas Toshiro couldn’t think of anything other than the fact he may die tonight. At one point Toshiro clutched the dashboard in front of him for dear life and didn’t think he’d honestly make it to the cinema alive as Yukio decided that overtaking a truck on the wrong side of the road was good idea. Once the car pulled up Toshiro fell out it and resisted the urge to kiss the pavement. He straightened up and glared back at the boy as Rangiku slipped into the front seat beside him.

‘Have fun!’ Yukio called loudly and Rangiku chuckled and copied him.

‘Don’t forget a good date ends in a kiss!’ She called, clearly loud enough for the passing by couples to stare as Toshiro tried desperately to hush his friends.

 ‘Or something more!’

‘Don’t stay out too late!’

‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!’

‘A bit of hanky panky is alright!’

‘Remember sex in the cinema is frowned upon!’

‘And don’t forget to use protection,’

‘The rash will clear up soon don’t worry-‘

By this point Toshiro had scampered away from his friends his entire face flushing and he cursed himself. That was the last time _ever_ he’d let Yukio and Rangiku drop him off anywhere. That was the last time he would ever get in a car with Yukio period. He glanced at his watch the movie was due to start at 7:10pm and he was meeting Ichigo at 7pm on the spot. He stood just inside the door and leaned against a pillar looking around at all the signs for upcoming and released movies. He was staring at a big poster for the latest Star Trek movie when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

‘Toshiro!’ At least Ichigo wasn’t using the silly nick name. Toshiro turned to the strawberry with a small smile, his teal eyes hungrily taking the boys appearance in. He’d worn a white shirt with a black jacket and a black tie. He looked really good, it was maybe a bit flashy for the cinema but both boys had agreed earlier that morning when they woke up in a tangle of limbs that they would get dressed up for the occasion.

‘You look stunning,’ Ichigo hummed as he reached down to peck Toshiro softly on the lips.

‘No I don’t,’ he said automatically and Ichigo frowned he reached down and Toshiro felt his hand grip his wrist lightly as he led him off towards two girls who were standing watching them.

‘Excuse me,’ Ichigo inquired and they smiled politely at him.

‘Ichigo what are you-?’

‘My date doesn’t believe me when I say he looks stunning, can you help me sort this out?’

Toshiro flushed and tried to get his grip out of Ichigos hand, the girls were eyeing him curiously.

‘We saw you standing here by yourself and my friend was actually just trying to work up the courage to come over and ask your name, we were both sitting talking about how drop dead gorgeous you are.’ One of the girls smiled shyly and Toshiro flushed even more. The girls were actually fairly attractive, if you were into women that is. The first one to speak was slightly taller with long blond hair and her friend was shorter with short red hair.

‘T-Thank you,’ he muttered as Ichigo let go of his hand and wrapped an arm around his waist.

‘You two are so cute together.’ The other girl chimed in and Ichigo grinned at her.

‘Thank you! What are you two here to see?’

‘We’re here to see…’ the brown haired girl turned to her blond friend, ‘what was it?’

‘Solace,’ she replied and the other girl nodded.

‘We’re here to see Suicide squad.’ Ichigo smiled and the girls grimaced.

‘Yeah we saw it two weeks ago, it was terrible.’ She laughed, ‘at least if you two get bored of watching the movie you can just watch each other.’ She chuckled and Ichigo laughed with them, Toshiro almost hid with embarrassment behind Ichigo. He was fine being open and like this with Rangiku and Yukio but not with strangers he’d just met. Sensing his unease Ichigo mentioned that their movie was starting and waved at the girls with a kind grin as they walked off.

‘See I told you, you are stunning.’ He breathed into Toshiros ear causing the younger man to shudder with glee.

‘Alright I’ll believe you next time just don’t ever do that again.’

Ichigo grinned happily and bought the tickets, Toshiro protested wanting to pay for something so Ichigo finally agreed to let him buy the drink, which he insisted they share.

They walked into the empty cinema, Suicide Squad had been out for over a month now and there was only one other couple in the theatre who had chosen to sit closer to the front. Ichigo led Toshiro straight to the back and they took their seats. They chatted happily about the other DC movies and what a disappointment they’d been recently as the adverts and trailers ran on screen.

Once the movie started both boys settled down, Ichigo held Toshiros hand and ran a thumb across his finger soothingly. About halfway through the movie Ichigo leaned over and whispered in Toshiros ear.

‘This sucks.’

‘I know,’ Toshiro smiled back, he didn’t mind he was just happy to be here with the handsome strawberry.

‘I can think of something else I’d rather be doing,’ Ichigo murmured in his ear and Toshiro gulped turning to face him in the dim lighting. Toshiro opened his mouth to protest but lips were pressing against his and the protest was lost. Their lips moved against each others and Toshiro moaned when Ichigos tongue invaded his mouth, the berrys hand coming up to wrap around his neck and stroke across his cheek.

‘We can’t-‘ Toshiro gasped as they broke apart, his eyes darting down to the couple whose heads he could see. From the looks of things they’d grown bored of the movie too and seemed to be making out as well.

‘They’ll do their thing, we’ll do ours.’ Ichigo whispered against his ear as his lips began to press against his jaw.

‘We shouldn’t-‘ Toshiro whispered but his body was betraying him as his head tilted back to reveal his neck. Ichigo grinned against his skin and move the shirts collar away with a finger as he found that sensitive spot on his neck and began to assault it. All coherent thoughts were wiped from Toshiros mind and he felt his blood rush from one head to another.

‘I’m not getting naked in a cinema,’ he gasped after a few minutes of trying to compose himself.

‘I wouldn’t expect you to,’ Ichigo chuckled as he looked down at the couple. They were not paying them any attention as they were so focused on each other. Ichigo slipped off his seat and bent obediently between Toshiros legs. Toshiros eyes went wide as he reached up to unzip his trousers and exposed his hardened length. Toshiros eyes swept the cinema, he couldn’t believe this was happening and then he felt Ichigos expert mouth clamp down on his member. Toshiro gritted his teeth to stop the loud groan that threatened to spill from his mouth. The strawberries head bobbed up and down, hidden by the seats in front of them but he was sure if either of the couple was to stand up and look over they’d clearly see what was going on. The thought of getting caught was so erotic and thrilling that Toshiro stuffed a fist in his mouth as he whimpered. Ichigo pulled back and used swollen lips to clamp down hard against his head sucking hard to create a tight environment that sent wave after wave of pleasure coursing through him.

Toshiro felt the pleasure build as the man continued his assault on his weeping member and he gripped the arm rests of the cinema chair and clawed at the faded red fabric.

‘Ichigo,’ he hissed trying to be quiet, ‘Ichigo stop or I’m going to…’ but Ichigo just sucked harder and Toshiro bucked his hips into the mouth releasing inside him with a gasp. Ichigo hungrily drank down every drop and Toshiro felt himself pant with a stifled moan, sweating under his layers after the incident as Ichigo finally released his softening member with a content sigh. Toshiro stared at the man as he reached up to kiss him and Toshiro could taste himself on his lovers’ lips. It was strange but did not ruin the mood as Toshiro tucked his now placid member back into his boxers. Ichigo chuckled and sat back down on his seat. Toshiro straightened up and glanced curiously at the couple a few rows in front, their silhouettes were doing naughty things too it seemed and Toshiro could hear someone grunting. He chuckled to himself and slid off his seat, Ichigo raised a brow curiously as Toshiro kneeled between his legs.

‘Your turn,’ Toshiro hummed and grinned up at Ichigo who smiled caringly at him.

‘Do not feel like you have to return anything Toshiro.’ Ichigo said with certainty. The man clearly wanted to make sure Toshiro was doing this because he wanted too and not because he felt like he had too. Toshiro smiled to himself, stroking Ichigos beautiful erection through his trousers.

‘Trust me, I really want to, I want to know what you taste like.’ He reached up and undone Ichigos belt, undoing his zip and pulled the trousers and boxers down enough to allow him access to the weeping erection. The precum glistened in the light from the big screen and Ichigo swallowed thickly.

‘Hmm, look at all that precum,’ Toshiro sighed happily as he let his tongue lick across it, needless to say the tall strawberry tasted almost exactly like a strawberry would but with a salty kick.

‘Because sucking you off turned me on,’ Ichigo defended as he grunted at the small appendage lapping at his head. Toshiro was very good at giving head. It was all Ichimaru ever forced him to do, there was a time he’d been forced to suck off Kusaka while Ichimaru watched and the boy had not lasted long in Toshiros expert mouth. He was going to ravish the older male and poor Ichigo had no idea what was coming. Completely unprepared Ichigo gasped loudly as Toshiros tongue lapped at the organ, applying enough pressure to send wave after wave through his lover. Then his lips clasped firmly around the head and he sucked hard, tongue hitting just all the right points and Ichigo choked back a loud moan.

 _‘Dear god Toshiro, holy fuck!’_ Ichigo moaned and Toshiro was sure the couple would hear him, his lover was loud. This really made Toshiro happy to know, he was going to use this against the older male sometime. Toshiro continued his actions of sucking and teasing and bobbing earning grunts and moans of approval from the older male as he climbed towards completion, he came faster than Toshiro had and Toshiro swallowed the liquid quickly as it entered his mouth, his tongue and lips clamping around the releasing organ as he swallowed. He released it with a hum of approval and a hand was tight around the back of his neck guiding him up to parted lips in a sloppy kiss.

‘Please be my boyfriend,’ Ichigo begged against his lips. ‘That was just amazing…’

Toshiro chuckled as he climbed onto the larger mans lap to enjoy the rest of the movie.

‘Is that all you want me for? My blowjob skills?’ he teased and Ichigo scoffed.

‘That’s maybe one aspect, that and the fact that you’re absolutely gorgeous and you give the most amazing head… massages.’ He chuckled and Toshiro reminisced about the several times in the dressing room where Ichigo had fallen asleep in his lap as they rehearsed their second scene together.

‘Alright then,’ Toshiro flushed and nuzzled into the taller mans neck as he kissed his head.

After the movie Ichigo dropped Toshiro off at his house so he could get his stuff ready for College the next day, though both boys really wanted to spend another night together they decided there was no rush. With a tender goodnight kiss Toshiro had practically skipped to his front door as the strawberry drove off, it was a great night sleep. Even though the prospect of the next day loomed heavy and he’d be met with a lot of weird stares he felt like he could manage with his friends and boyfriend.

 

* * *

 

 

Ichigo had offered to pick him up so they could walk in together and be all couple-y. Also so that Toshiro wouldn’t run the risk of facing anyone alone, the thought of which caused the younger boy some panic. When Toshiro agreed to this though he’d forgotten that Ichigo was often fashionably late for Chemistry on a Monday morning and was now standing outside his house realising his boyfriend was late.

He mentally cursed himself, now they’d have to walk in together in front of the entire class, a part of him wondered if the Strawberry had done this on purpose.

When the red car finally pulled up Toshiro slipped in and turned to scold him but was met with a pair of lips on his. The scolding was lost on his mouth as he sighed contently.

‘Good morning gorgeous,’ Ichigo breathed against his mouth and Toshiro hummed in content.

‘Good morning,’ he replied back as Ichigo reached up to stroke a white strand of hair away from his teal eyes, ‘ready for your first proper day at College as yourself?’ Ichigo enquired and Toshiro nodded shyly.

 

When they finally got to the building they were already five minutes late for class but they knew Professor Ukitaki would be spending the first twenty minutes of the class writing on the chalk board anyway before launching into his actual lecture. So when Ichigo opened the door to the class Toshiro took a deep breath and walked in, his eyes finding his friends and they were all he looked at. He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on the pair and he could hear their whispers but his teal eyes were flicking between comforting baby blue and a warm emerald as his friends slid across to make room for him. Toshiro sat down beside Rangiku as she moved over beside Yukio and Ichigo slipped into the seat beside him. Toshiros eyes were on the desk as Ichigo wrapped a protective arm around him and the prodigy leaned into his side. He could hear the whisperings growing louder and he flushed a little. That’s when his friends drew his attention by offering some banter.

‘Shiro we waited on you this morning,’ Rangiku pouted at him and Yukio just smiled beside her.

‘I’m sorry Ichigo drove me to school and he was late.’

‘He drove you or you were late because you were doing something else?’ Yukio chided him with a chuckle.

‘Have you spoken to Shuhei yet,’ Toshiro shot back and Yukio choked on his chuckle and glared playfully at his friend.

‘No fair Ichigo we get to have him tomorrow,’ Rangiku glared at the other red head.

‘You can’t have him he’s mine.’ Ichigos arm tightened around him and Toshiro flushed, he knew his classmates were staring at them and Ichigo leaned down on purpose and pulled him in for a kiss. Toshiro hated displays of public affection but he felt his mind go blank as the warm and familiar lips pressed against his own.

‘He doesn’t belong to you,’ Rangiku scolded him.

‘Share him please,’ Yukio mused as Ichigo and Toshiro finally broke apart.

‘Okay you guys can have him for two nights a week.’ Ichigo said and they protested loudly.

‘No way, we get him four nights a week, we’re his _friends.’_

‘I’m his _boyfriend.’_

‘I’m right here!’ Toshiro blushed trying to remind the group that he was present and could hear everything they were saying.

‘Okay how about we get him Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays?’ Yukio offered as he leaned across the table to gaze at Ichigo with a steady emerald optic.

‘Fine but can we share some Saturdays since that’s when a lot of stuff is on and if I take him on a Saturday then you can have him on the Friday or Sunday?’

‘What about time to study?’ Toshiro interjected worried that his grades would slip because of his new social life.

‘Hush Shiro the adults are talking.’ Yukio scolded him and he scowled at the boy who returned to his negotiations.

‘Fine that’s doable but we need advanced notice,’ Rangiku replied and Yukio nodded beside her.

‘Okay that’s a deal,’

‘And if there’s something really big on like the end of year celebrations and bar drinking we get to all go together,’ Yukio added and Ichigo shook his head.

‘What if we want to go and make out somewhere?’

‘Then you can do that _after_ the event,’ Rangiku scowled at him, ‘you’re not animals.’

‘I’m _still_ right here,’ Toshiro scowled, ‘my grades better not suffer from this.’

‘Shut up Mr 100%.’

This chatter continued for a while until Professor Ukitaki called for them to hush so he could crack on with the lesson.

 

After class they were crowded as pretty much the entire group of fourth years walked up to their table at the back.

‘Congratulations you two,’ Orihime smiled kindly and Toshiro smiled back at her.

‘Toshiro listen I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise that Ichimaru was such a… such a cunt!’ Renji interjected and he looked sorry too. Toshiro shook his head and sighed.

‘It wasn’t your fault I never should have lied, besides even though I hated what he did to me if he hadn’t shown up me and Ichigo wouldn’t be together right now so I guess in a twisted way I’m saying thank you.’ He chuckled and Renji smiled looking relieved.

‘Ichigo why do you always get the hotties,’ Shuhei frowned at him, ‘first Yukio and now Toshiro?’

‘Yes my friend is hot don’t you forget it,’ Toshiro scolded Shuhei who gulped and stepped back a bit from the intense teal gaze, ‘I’ll be speaking to you later about what exactly your intentions are for him.’

‘Shiro,’ Yukio groaned at him and Toshiro just chuckled. The rest of the class just congratulated them on their new relationship and moved on. It actually went a lot smoother than Toshiro could have hoped.

‘Toshiro you look much better with the white hair and teal eyes,’ Rukia stated boldly, ‘don’t ever cover it up again you idiot.’ She turned and strutted away with a few of the other girls in tow and he stared dumbfounded after her.

‘That was her way of saying you’re hot,’ Ichigo chuckled in his ear as his small boyfriend swatted him away.

It was a weird feeling as Toshiro walked in Ichigos embrace down the hallways of the College. He’d never been the centre of attention like this before, not positive attention anyway. They were the hottest new couple in the College and Ichigo loved it for Toshiro it was sometimes often a little embarrassing, especially when he’d turn around and Ichigo would be kissing him and pulling him close in front of people. He tried several times to remain composed but one time on lunch Ichigos lips had found _that spot_ on his neck again and Toshiro was reduced to a whimpering mess in front of his classmates. Apart from getting over almost every insecurity he had and feeling his walls crumbling down Toshiro just had one last thing to be nervous about, one last thing that the strawberry was going to have to help him get through, however that same thing was also something that Toshiro had to help the strawberry get through; _All Star Productions._


	8. All Star Productions

As the date for the show loomed, Ichigo grew more anxious and sometimes found himself snapping at members of the cast when they didn’t take things seriously. A lot of the cast were grateful for Toshiro because he was the only one who could calm the male down when he got like this. The day of the production Ichigo was the worst he’d ever been and at one point seemed on the verge of tears when Rukia and Renji pretended they’d forgotten all their lines. Toshiro had had to swoop in and grab his hand and lead him away allowing Uryu to diffuse the situation.

‘They were only joking,’ Toshiro panicked worried that the strawberry would actually start crying as he quickly led him into the dressing room. This dressing room had become a usual hideaway for the couple and though there were many stories about what they got up to in it the most they’d ever done was a heavy make out session.  

‘I know,’ Ichigo sighed deeply, trying to compose himself, ‘I just want this to be perfect, this is a tribute to all the people who perished in that horrific accident and I want to show my support.’

‘I know,’ Toshiro closed the door behind them and embraced his boyfriend in a comforting hug. As comforting as could be considering he could only reach his pecks and Ichigo chuckled and wrapped his arms around the boy. They stood like this for a while just breathing each others scents as Ichigo buried his face in Toshiros white spikes.

‘You’ve worked so hard on this Ichigo and I know everyone will love it and I’ll be right there with you the entire time either on stage or standing at the side sending you moral support.’ Toshiro offered and felt his boyfriend gently rub his back. The touch was so gentle given the scars he had but Toshiro didn’t mind Ichigo touching them, his touch felt like he was slowly healing them. In a metaphorical way it was true.

‘Thank you,’ Ichigo sighed reaching down to kiss the smaller male and Toshiro kissed him back, pressing his lips carefully to his partners.

‘Everything is ready, everyone knows their lines, the stage is set and we’ve rehearsed it start to finish a billion times, all your friends are supporting you either in the show or they’re coming to support us in the crowd.’ Toshiro was referencing Rangiku and Yukio too whom had grown to be very good friends with Ichigo now that it seemed they were joined at the hips. He still enjoyed his time with his friends alone the same way Ichigo would go off with Uryu, Renji and Chad but it also felt amazing to have his friends being so accepting of his boyfriend.

‘What you need,’ Toshiro muttered as he stood on his tip toes and titled his head back – a sign he wanted a kiss since he couldn’t reach Ichigo alone – ‘is a distraction,’ he muttered as Ichigo leaned down with a chuckle to capture his boyfriends lips.

‘Hmm? A distraction?’ Ichigo asked amused against Toshiros lips. They kissed for a while, Toshiro letting his tongue slide into the strawberrys mouth and dance with his own before breaking apart. ‘What kind of distraction did you have in mind?’ Ichigo asked as he kissed down his boyfriends jaw and towards that _oh so lush_ spot on his neck.

‘Well,’ Toshiros teal eyes flickered to the dressing tables with the mirrors and he guided them over, Ichigos lips leaving his neck for a few moments as he sprung up onto the table and wrapped his legs around Ichigos waist. ‘Whatever kind of a distraction you want,’ he ground their hips together and Ichigo groaned leaning over him and kissing him again, this time there was a lot more need in the kiss. Because of the stress of the mountain play and their mid year exams the boys hadn’t had much time for anything rather erotic in a about a week, so when Toshiro continued to grind his hips against Ichigo’s it was very clear the distraction he was referencing.

‘Here?’ Ichigo gurgled into his neck as he sucked into that tender bit of flesh.

‘Hmmm,’ Toshiro was worried someone would walk in, it was highly likely but their co stars knew to avoid the room when Toshiro was calming Ichigo down so he figured they’d be relatively safe. ‘It’s been a while so you won’t last long.’ Toshiro teased as the Strawberry came back up to kiss him.

‘Oh? Very confident aren’t you?’ Ichigo muttered and Toshiro pulled out a bottle of lube he’d stashed in one of the dresser tables a couple of weeks before.

‘You horny little devil,’ Ichigo chuckled as he took the bottle in his hands, Toshiro continued to grind their hips and their now hardened members together. Toshiro gritted his teeth against the moan that threatened to spill from his lips as they continued to dry fuck against the dressing table.  
Soon it wasn’t enough, hands had began to undo trousers and Ichigo was the first to pull Toshiros halfway down around his legs, it was best to leave them partly dressed just in case anyone did come in. A warm hand had circled Toshiros exposed member and began to pump, the hand was slick with lube which had recently become one of Toshiros favourite products, how he’d gotten by before it he didn’t know.

‘Fuck,’ he groaned as Ichigo came down to kiss his neck. This was the first time they’d had sex like this, hot and rough and urgent because at any moment they could get caught by someone walking in. Toshiro slipped off the dresser and reached down to Ichigos pants quickly undoing them to expose his own erection, then Ichigo had him flipped so he was facing the dresser and his ass was pressed up against Ichigos dripping cock. With a lubed finger Ichigo wormed his way into Toshiros entrance and the younger male groaned with need. He needed more than two fingers, he was way passed a two finger level right now and he pushed back against Ichigo who chuckled. Ichigo could tell what his little lover wanted but he was teasing him. He pulled the finger out and added a second searching for that spot as Toshiro began to pant and moan. Ichigo could see Toshiros face in the mirror contoured with pleasure and it just turned the older man on even more. He watched his partners face in the mirror curiously as his fingers brushed that sweet spot and Toshiro moaned and shook with need, his eyes fluttering shut and his whole body pressing back into Ichigo.

 _‘Fucckkkk Ichigo,’_ he gasped as the older male added a third finger and began to pound the spot in an uneven rhythm that had his partner begging for more, ‘please Ichigo,’ he whimpered.

Toshiro felt his boyfriend lean down and kiss the back of his neck as he watched him in the mirror, he was almost completely gone with need he could barely register much of anything of what was happening and that included how potentially loud they were being. Finally Ichigo withdrew his fingers and Toshiro felt the tip of his throbbing erection push in past the ring of tight muscles. Toshiro relaxed himself letting the older man push in and accepting every glorious inch of him inside him.

 _‘Fuck Toshiro you’re so tight,’_ Ichigo groaned in his ear and Toshiro made a point of squeezing his muscles around his boyfriends anxious cock earning a gasp of approval from the older man. Relaxing again Toshiro began to pant as Ichigo began to fuck him against the dresser. The two boys had given up being silent now in their sexual haze to reach that mind blowing release. Every grunt and pant and moan that rolled from Ichigos lips just pushed the white haired prodigy closer to the edge. When the strawberrys hand snaked around his waist to find his abandoned and twitching member Toshiro knew it was almost over. Ichigo began to rapidly pound his prostate and his hand began to work a similar against the smaller males cock.

 _‘Nnnnghhh I-Ichigo…. Fuck… I’m gonnna….’_ Toshiro groaned as he felt his body pushing himself to that critical climax.

‘Come for me gorgeous, I wanna feel it,’ Ichigo panted into his ear, and Toshiro moaned loudly feeling his muscles spasm all over as he came hard onto the floor – having been pulled away from the dresser slightly for Ichigo to get access to his erection – and he felt the strawberry male groan as he came hard inside the smaller boy.

They both stood in the after glow panting heavily, enjoying the feeling when suddenly-

‘Oh good they’re done now,’ Rangiku had barged in followed closely by Yukio. Toshiro yelped and felt Ichigo pull his softened member out of him as both boys tried to cover themselves up. Heat crept into Toshiros face as he turned around, pulling his boxers and trousers up over his member and he scowled at the look on friends faces.

‘That sounded really good,’ Yukio mused with a massive grin on his face as Rangiku put a massive bouquet of flowers down on the table in the centre of the room.

‘Truly amazing,’ Rangiku offered. 

‘Splendid show,’

‘Good vocalization,’

‘Yes agreed, amazing acoustics,’

‘Tension was built really well,’

‘Characterization sounded really good too,’

‘What a climax,’

Ichigo was done fixing himself, his face as red as his hair as he glared at the intrusion. Toshiro attempted to hide his embarrassment by looking anywhere but at his friends who – mortifyingly – had begun to clap them a round of applause for their performance.

‘You guys HEARD us?’ Toshiro groaned as he placed a hand over his face to peak at them through his fingers.

‘Shiro with a voice that loud the whole production team heard you.’ Rangiku laughed at her friends’ embarrassment and Yukio, who stood leaning against the arm rest of the sofa leaned over to grin at them.

‘Forget that the whole College probably did,’ Yukio chuckled.

‘Quite true,’ Rangiku smiled proudly at them and Toshiro turned to hide his face in Ichigos chest.

‘How much of that did you _see?’_ He groaned from Ichigos chest remembering the time he’d seen Yukios ass as he’d stood up half covered by the blanket the day after his party.

‘Quite a lot, I saw Ichigo pulling out- he came a lot by the way you probably want to go to the bathroom or something.’ Yukio smiled gleefully and Toshiro groaned into Ichigos chest.

‘Saw you too Shiro, must say you made a mess on that floor someone should clean that up,’ Rangiku chuckled.

‘Make them stop.’ Toshiro groaned into Ichigos chest and he felt the older male growl at his friends.

‘You two shouldn’t even be in here.’ He snapped at them and they just laughed.

‘Alright we’re going, we just wanted to drop off the bouquet they’re from the entire fourth year a good luck for tonight’s show.’ Rangiku chirped happily as she stood up to leave with Yukio. ‘We’ll be in the audience, break a leg… metaphorically speaking mind you, no third leg breaking-‘

‘GET OUT!’ Ichigo shouted at them and with a final chuckle they fled closing the door behind them.

‘That did not just happen,’ Toshiros groaned into his boyfriends’ chest.

‘Those friends of yours are really annoying,’

‘They’re your friends now too,’ he poked a finger at the strawberry and sighed as he walked towards the bathroom, it seemed Yukio had been right.

 

Despite the intrusion the distraction had been successful, Ichigo seemed a lot more calm leading up to show time. They’d cleaned their mess and now everyone was in the dressing room slipping into costumes and doing makeup. Toshiro was buzzing and he’d never experienced these kinds of nerves before. Ichigo was walking around making sure everyone was ready and Uryu came over to stand beside Toshiro.

‘You nervous?’

‘Yeah,’ he muttered looking at his feet. He’d sat on top one of the desks at the back, his small size saw his feet dangling over the edge.

‘Here,’ Uryu pulled a flask out and handed it to him, ‘one gulp of straight vodka it won’t cause any damaging effect it will just help you relax a little.’

Toshiro was thankful for the liquid that stung his throat, the flask got passed around apparently this was a common way for the drama group to bond and get rid of jitters before a big show.

‘The lights are going to be so bright you honestly won’t see anyone out in the audience so just pretend like it’s a rehearsal and remember we all have your back if something goes wrong this group is amazing at improvisation.’ The words helped the prodigy to feel calmer and he thanks Uryu as Ichigo came over and called for everyone’s attention. The nervous excitement was still in the air as everyone settled down to listen.

‘Okay everyone ten minutes until show time, I just want to thank you all so much for your support and hard work and dedication to this production, let’s remember we are doing this as a tribute to all those who lost someone in the Florida shootings and to stand up against homophobia everywhere.’ There was a rough cheer around the room and Toshiro looked at Ichigo fondly, he’d never seen him give an off cut speech like this before. ‘I know you’ll all be great because well, I’m the director and if you’re not I’ll kick your ass,’ there was a little chuckle around the room, ‘but more than anything I want you to have fun tonight and give everyone a good show and lets leave a good lasting impression behind. Remember the funds raised are going to be donated directly to the LGBT community in our area. So let’s make sure we wrangle every possible emotion out our audience so they dig deep and donate.’

There were cheers around the room as everyone stood up ready to their places to begin the show. Ichigo reached over and kissed Toshiro and in the kiss he was seeking reassurance. Toshiro kissed him back, finding his own fears dissolve as he knew he had to be strong for Ichigo.

They got ready for act one and the intro as the College director stood out on stage and welcomed everyone.

Toshiro and several of the others went to stand off stage, bottles of water in hand and immediate costume changes at the ready.

The lights dimmed and the show started.

 

From the sidelines Toshiro watched Ichigo intently, eyes only for his handsome boyfriend as he acted beautifully on stage. It was no wonder everyone fawned over him, he was completely perfect, slipping completely into the role of Denali and making the audience laugh at his off hand humour and broad spectrum facial expressions.  
When Toshiros first scene was due he waited for his cue, the bottle of water twisting nervously in his hands as he placed it at the side. The scene was a flashback to when Denali first met Sam and that had been announced by their narrator Uryu.

‘Have you seen the new kid Denali he’s adorable, just your type.’ Rukia’s character chuckled and that was Toshiros cue to walk on stage. Shoulders back, chest out, head high exactly as Ichigo had told him. He stepped out into the dazzling lights and made his way over to a fake notice board beside the two. He didn’t have to say anything until Ichigo engaged him but Ichigo had a few lines with Rukia before where she tried to encourage Ichigos character into speaking with him.

‘Hey there, Sam is it?’ Toshiro turned around doing his best to look confused and apprehensive.

‘Yes?’

Ichigo was so amazing, breaking the fourth wall slightly to turn to the audience in a dramatic ‘oh my god’ moment as if trying to express how gorgeous Toshiros character was. It took all his efforts not to laugh as the audience chuckled behind them, they’d done this scene a million times so it was easy to ignore.

‘Can I help you?’

‘I just saw you looking at the notice board just now,’ Toshiros eyes flickered back to the board and back to Ichigo, ‘not thinking of trying out for the basketball team are you?’

It was meant to be a dig at his height, having put up with that kind of stuff his whole life it didn’t take a great deal of acting to let the hurt slip through on his face.

‘Oh I’m sorry damn, I came over here to ask you out and instead I put my foot in it by pretending to be funny I’m sorry.’

‘You came to ask me out?’

‘Yeah…’

There was silence as the two boys froze. Ichigos voice – a pre recording for his own thoughts to the audience – sounded over their heads.

‘And then he fell lovingly into my embrace because of my masculine charms. No, he never you’re right, he rejected me completely that first day but I never gave up trying until I finally got him.’

When the line of ‘he rejected me completely’ sounded Toshiro turned on his heel and exited the stage with Ichigo following behind him. Once off stage Ichigo had to dash for a costume change as Rukia and Renji went on with the two third years to do a scene. Toshiro drunk his water feeling his fears leave him as he knew he had a good twenty minutes before he was needed back on stage again.

The show slipped by and the audience laughed and gasped at the right moments, Toshiro grinning along as he watched his fellow members work on stage. Whenever someone came off they’d whisper ‘well done’ at each other and pat each other on the back and keep up moral behind the scenes.

At his second scene the lights had dimmed and allowed them a chance to get into place without the audience seeing them until the lights were brought up. Toshiro climbed onto the sofa and he felt the weight of Ichigo climb on it too. The lights came back up and Toshiro was stroking his hair, the same scene they’d practiced in the dressing room several times. They delivered their lines perfectly and the on stage chemistry was only heightened because of their actual growing feelings to each other.

Once the scene was over the show started to take its darker route. Sam had text Denali to state that he was going out clubbing with his friends who fully accepted him as being gay and that if Denali didn’t come out with him then they were effectively over. Toshiro scowled, he didn’t like this aspect of his character but never the less he had to deliver the role. The club shooting scene was hard to watch, the lights went down and loud bangs happened, the lights flashing as the gun shots sounded before the lights came up. His fellow fourth years were laying about the stage with their fake blood capsules working their magic. There was a sound of siren in the background and pretend emergency staff came on the screen.

The play continued in hospital where Toshiro made a small appearance but not enough for it to be classed as a full actual scene. He walked up to the hospital and walked away back off stage again, it was really difficult to try and produce tears but thankfully by this point the prodigy had mastered them. The onions his fellow actors had brought in did not have to be used.

The last few scenes of the play came about and Toshiro was on stage for the big finale.

‘How are you feeling?’ The line delivered from Toshiros mouth with genuine concern, this was the first line he’d spoken to Ichigo when he auditioned for the part of same a few months prior, the same line that had started him on a road to falling for the tall strawberry.

‘Better than I look.’

They continued and Toshiro worked hard to try and make his acting as convincing as he could when Ichigo pulled him in for their first on screen gay kiss. There was a lot of open cheering from the audience and he could the wolf whistles drown them out. It had been a particularly vocal audience. The kiss lasted perhaps a bit longer than was really necessary for an on stage kiss as the two men ravished each other. At least they were convincing as they broke apart. Ichigo leaned down and delivered his final line.

‘I told my father, I want to be with you. You’re the one Sam and I want to be with you the rest of my life.’ Toshiro bit back the urge to call him Ichigo in his reply.

‘I want to be with you too Denali.’

 

The lights went down and the actors appeared on stage as they took their bows. Someone grabbed the mic to remind everyone to dig deep into their pockets and donate to the cause. The house lights came up and Toshiro gasped at the filled room, there were even people standing at the back and he was suddenly so very glad that he couldn’t see the audience during his time on stage. If he’d known this many people would have turned up he’d have panicked.

The cheers and claps were euphoric as actor by actor walked into the centre to take their bows. Ichigo and Toshiro walked out together to take theirs and naturally received the highest round of a applause from the entire room. Toshiro felt colour flood into his cheeks and as if making a point to the entire world Ichigo grabbed him and locked lips with him again on stage earning another wave of cheers from the audience. Toshiro pushed him off with an embarrassed smile and swatted at the man playfully as they went to leave the stage.

‘You could have warned me!’

‘And missed that adorable expression on your face, never!’ Ichigo chuckled as they went back stage congratulating each person who was part of the production. They waited until the crowds outside had mostly departed before they started to break apart themselves as well.

When Toshiro and Ichigo finally left they were greeted by Rangiku and Yukio.

‘You guys were amazing!’

‘Smashing!’

‘Spiffing!’

‘Absolutely marvellous!’

 Toshiro chuckled at them and accepted their embraces with ease. He was just glad it was over and that he wouldn’t need to do that again.

‘Are you guys meeting everyone else at the bar?’ Rangiku asked as the whole of the fourth year had agreed to go out and get drunk after the show.

‘Yeah we are, you two are coming yeah?’

‘Yeah we already know you two came so…’ Ichigo aimed a kick at Yukios shin that was narrowly avoided.

‘Alright then we’ll meet you there,’ Toshiro waved his friends off and walked away with Ichigo. The cast were going to get showered at home before heading to the bars in town, being on stage and in front of that many people caused a lot of sweat and apprehension and it was clear they wanted to shower it off.

Toshiro was reminiscing as he rode in the car back to Ichigos flat, the last few months had truly been a rollercoaster for the boy and he’d changed a lot in such a short space of time. He never would have guessed that coming to this College would have been such a positive experience but it had. It had been one of the best experiences of his entire life. He sat back comfortably in the leather seat of his boyfriends car completely surrounded by his comforting scent. His hands absentmindedly stroking the leather seat as he contemplated. He wasn’t sure what would happen next year when they all left College and went on to get jobs but he knew one thing, no matter what. Rangiku, Yukio, Ichigo and him would always be together, they’d always have each other and that was enough to heal the last metaphorical scar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It didn't get a lot of love, but I loved writing it.

**Author's Note:**

> That was chapter one, please leave me some feedback so I know it's being read and that people are interested for it to continue. Or leave me one of those kudos things... this is my first time on Archive and I'm excited =D


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